clinging (to)

verb

present participle of cling (to)
1
as in keeping (to)
to give steadfast support to continued to cling to the old ideas of child rearing long after they had gone out of fashion

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clenching
to have or keep in one's hands clung to a pole in the subway car to keep from falling as it lurched along

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinging (to)
  1. standing by
  2. clenching
  3. defending
  4. clutching
  5. gripping
  6. holding
  7. grabbing
Verb
  • Luckily, waiters are standing by with large jugs of water, ready to refill at the sight of sweat dripping down your forehead.
    — Ali Domrongchai, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Nov. 2026
  • To make sure that's the case, there's long been a strict firewall between the doctors and nurses trying to save patients in the hospital, and the organ retrieval teams standing by to try to procure their organs.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of standing by
Verb
  • The result can slim the lower face and ease clenching, grinding and TMJ pain.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The third sits nearer the ear and detects chewing and teeth clenching.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of clenching
Verb
  • Lawmakers and school districts have raised concerns over federal agents' presence outside schools or near school bus stops, with the federal government frequently defending its actions.
    — Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The county paid about $112 million in settlements defending the department in the 2024-25 fiscal year alone.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of defending
Verb
  • The officer, who did not appear to have backup nearby, is seen struggling to reload his firearm and appeared to be clutching his right arm.
    — Shayna Jacobs, NBC news, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Diplo, the globally famous disc jockey, has become accustomed to performing in front of audiences wearing glitzy outfits and clutching alcoholic beverages in the dark.
    — Alex Harring,Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of clutching
Verb
  • Anir has remained glued to the door, his left hand gripping the handle as if clinging to something solid might keep him from faltering.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The book lovers said these narratives were particularly approachable, with engaging plots, gripping prose and relatable characters.
    — Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of gripping
Verb
  • After he has been removed, Serena attempts to rally everyone into holding their heads high, despite the mishaps.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Once that's done, Hyper itself requires holding the mode button down for a few seconds, which is probably wise.
    — Kevin Fanady, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of holding
Verb
  • Ben and Victor are suspicious of Kriste for immediately grabbing her chalice.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
  • After a bloody skirmish with the orcs and wild men, an imposing figure arrives on horseback, grabbing one of the warriors and hurling him at Galadriel’s approaching horse.
    — Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of grabbing
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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clinging
clinging (to)
clings
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Cite this Entry

“Clinging (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinging%20%28to%29. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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