clings (to)

verb

present tense third-person singular of cling (to)
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

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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)
  1. stands by
  2. clutches
  3. defends
  4. grips
  5. clenches
  6. holds
  7. grabs
Verb
  • In a follow-up statement to The Athletic, an ESPN spokesman said the company stands by its reporting.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Continue reading … ZERO REGRETS – Hasan Piker stands by 'intentionally provocative' claims that Hamas is 'a thousand times better' than Israel.
    — , FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stands by
Verb
  • Anna practically clutches her pearls when asked to help the homeless.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
  • For years, Guerin has held onto his veteran core like a grandmother clutches her third-generation pearls.
    — Michael Russo, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of clutches
Verb
  • Headlining the event, Gustavo Trujillo defends his BKB Heavyweight title against Mark O'Neil, bringing an impressive 8-0 promotional record with all first-round knockouts.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The filing also defends a witness-tampering charge involving Robinson's roommate and an allegation that Robinson committed a violent offense in the presence of a child.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of defends
Verb
  • New Orleans is facing an unusual weather combination as Tropical Storm Bertha moves along the northern Gulf Coast while dangerous heat grips the region.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 22 July 2026
  • Your makeup will only look as good as your base, and the hydrating formula leaves a beautiful, glowy canvas that grips onto foundation and prevents makeup from settling into fine lines.
    — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 8 July 2026
Definition of grips
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of clenches
Verb
  • The prospect of a player who can cover both positions holds significant appeal.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Food and drink Level 0, just off the urban boardwalk connecting Putney and Hammersmith Bridges, holds the Riverside Market Food Hall.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of holds
Verb
  • Kurt's key takeaways What grabs me about this story isn’t simply the fact that a robot was involved in eye surgery.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The little breaths, the cloth grabs and punches were all deliberate.
    — Simon Thompson, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of grabs
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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clings (to)
cling (to)
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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 24 Aug. 2026.

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