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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Lemann, like the talkative older ladies of her youth, clutches the motifs of her past like talismans.—
Brandy Jensen,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026 -
Martin Short clutches his laptop walking onto set for Jimmy Kimmel Live!—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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Fast forward to today and those fears have materialized with dizzying speed as a historic oil and gas crisis sparked by the US and Israel’s war with Iran grips the world.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
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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Dickinson was surprised to hear it multiple times, but stands by the sentiment.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
29 Apr. 2026
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Her very reliable and efficient assistant Eunice (Seoyeon Jang) stands by her side but curries the jealous attention of unstable Ashley.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Red Square is where Russia holds its traditional military parade to celebrate Victory Day, one of the biggest holidays of the year.—
Darlene Superville,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
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Continue reading … BALLOT TALK — Rubio's viral White House briefing clip fuels 2028 buzz as Vance holds frontrunner spot.—
,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Fans start to notice what's happening about five seconds into it, and then another man comes up behind the fan, grabs him and tackles him into the seats.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
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And if no candidate grabs a majority in either of those races, this district’s voters might have to go to the polls four times.—
East Bay Times editorial board,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Verb
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He-Man is typically shown to be the alter ego of Prince Adam of the planet Eternia, who defends the secrets of Castle Grayskull, as well as the rest of Eternia, from the forces of the antagonist Skeletor.—
Sanat Pai RaikarAll,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
4 May 2026
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No side that defends this badly from front to back can hope for European qualification through the Premier League next season, and humiliation against Manchester City in the FA Cup final looks a far likelier outcome than a palate-cleansing triumph.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
4 May 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 11 May. 2026.
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