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
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Melvin Council stood amid a crowd of his Kansas teammates, clenching a black belt in his fist.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
25 Jan. 2026 -
Wole faced fixedly forward, both fists clenching the steering wheel.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The sight of 6-foot-10 center Gafford clutching that same right ankle has occurred more times than even Gafford can count in the Mavericks’ first 50 games this season.—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Feb. 2026
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The mother walked out of the courtroom clutching her son and found an advocate with the Immigrant Advocacy Network in the lobby to explain her options.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One of the many unsettling images to emerge from the recent ICE surge in Minneapolis was that of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, in his blue bunny hat, standing in the January cold with the hand of a federal officer gripping his Spider-Man backpack.—
A.O. Scott,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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Climate experts have warned that the extreme conditions gripping southeastern Australia are a public health emergency driven by the burning of fossil fuels.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This lifeline has people standing by who can speak to you via text or phone in English and in Spanish.—
Beth Ann Mayer,
Parents,
3 Feb. 2026
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National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell is standing by Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show this Sunday.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As part of a plea deal, Nail had to resign and pay fines, and he was barred from holding office while on probation.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Today’s charges target a major producer behind the Chapitos’ supply chain and underscore the commitment of the women and men of our Office to holding traffickers at all levels of the production and distribution chain accountable.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Not every retailer is deploying AI in headline-grabbing ways, but many are intentionally building the foundations that make the technology viable.—
Peter Sadera,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Feb. 2026
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Another handwashing no-no is touching the phone, then grabbing clean tongs without washing hands.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The toughest matchup in the district is unquestionably Arlington Bowie, a defending district champion.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Feb. 2026
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Boswell is the defending 6A Division II state champion and the Carroll girls rank sixth in the state among Class 6A teams.—
Myah Taylor,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Feb. 2026
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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 8 Feb. 2026.
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