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
Relevance
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)
Verb
-
Wole faced fixedly forward, both fists clenching the steering wheel.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
To hear Thompson tell it, Dallas absolutely has a shot at clutching the Larry O'Brien Trophy when the dust settles.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
-
No sense rehashing the substance of Collier’s broadside, although much of the subsequent pearl clutching was a bit precious in light of Bryce Harper’s midsummer activism.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
It’s measured by gripping a handheld dynamometer.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The satire on higher education is rich, yet the larger themes about one’s purpose and ideas are gripping.—
AudioFile Magazine
September 30,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
To him, the equipment staff shuffling pieces around on the field during practice is just as important as the head coach standing by.—
Christopher Kamrani,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Aimee Lou Wood is standing by her decision to call out Saturday Night Live for a sketch that poked fun at her teeth, comparing the moment to confronting a bully as a child.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Almost as a cry for help, just holding onto her last bit of identity and not having a lot of time to do things on her own time.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
-
In case that wasn't enough of a wink from the show's creators, there's a scene in the finale where the head nurse at the institution holding Gein advises him to write a book, noting that so many other people have taken liberties with his story.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Securing the Shield ensures the top seed for Philly and home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup playoffs for a team that has quietly gone about a consistent season without grabbing much in the way of attention.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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Without strangers lunging at her and grabbing her forearm.—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Still, the positive outlook is that the defending champs are 4-1 with some impressive wins and without having played their best football.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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The idea the two-time defending champs are tantamount to underdogs to make history is itself a compelling story -- good for the league.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Oct. 2025
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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 10 Oct. 2025.
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