1
as in keeps (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 clutches
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 clings (to)
Verb
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Harrison says these thoughtful details are like nothing else on the market, and stands by them as a worthwhile investment.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
10 June 2026 -
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, whose office prosecuted the case, said on June 4 that his office stands by the prosecution and intends to continue defending the convictions.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
Verb
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In it, Marilyn clutches the pillow toward her, revealing her disarming fragility.—
Michael Soncin,
Vanity Fair,
9 June 2026
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Here, a guest clutches hers as the finishing touch to her breezy button-down, maxi skirt, and heeled flip-flops.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
3 June 2026
Verb
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In the case before the court, Mississippi defends late-arriving ballots, noting that the Constitution gives states the right to run their own elections.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
9 June 2026
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Leo simultaneously defends the secrecy of confession as religious freedom, despite critics calling it an abuse shield, and sidesteps a meeting with ex-Opus Dei members amid Argentine investigations.—
Suman Naishadham,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Together with slight pressure from your foot, the claw head and pedal penetrates soil, grips the weed, and pulls it straight out of the ground from its roots.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
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In one example, the robot grips a can sideways, a simple mistake that could lead to spills, showing that human-like understanding remains limited.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the comedy progresses, its buoyant tone clenches and darkens, and the plot bends and lurches, in ways that, to me, felt unnecessarily punitive toward both Haru and the audience.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
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As the infection takes hold, a patient’s jaw clenches, forcing the face into what appears to be a wide smile, and the back muscles contort into a painful arch.—
Mustafa Fattah,
NBC news,
24 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Lead drama actor holds essentially steady at 78, nearly matching last year’s 77, when 134 names crowded the ballot.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
12 June 2026
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Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
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The design is what grabs your attention at first sight.—
Utkarsh Sood
June 12,
New Atlas,
12 June 2026
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Radke grabs a book and hands it to me.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
10 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Clings (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clings%20%28to%29. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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