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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Martin Short clutches his laptop walking onto set for Jimmy Kimmel Live!—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
26 Jan. 2026 -
Mispelys Salazar clutches a stack of papers close to her chest as bristling wind gusts threaten to send them flying into the air.—
Catherine E. Shoichet,
CNN Money,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Gold prices continue breaking records as economic uncertainty grips investors.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
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When cold weather grips the South for days on end, the thought of a humid summer gets better and better.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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When the sky darkens, her stomach clenches.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Associate commerce director Lori Keong stands by the notion that jewelry is a disappointment-proof gift.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
21 Jan. 2026
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And amazingly, LaFleur stands by his decision to kick a field to this day.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Women's skiing at the Olympics will be held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, where Vonn holds the record of 12 World Cup wins.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
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Women’s skiing at the Olympics will be held in Cortina d’Ampezzo, where Vonn holds the record of 12 World Cup wins.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Video shows that in the seconds before Pretti is shot, the 37-year-old ICU nurse grabs the observer’s backpack when he is pulled to the ground by a group of agents.—
Yahya Abou-Ghazala,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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The officer grabs Pretti’s shirt at his chest, pulling him back toward the vehicle as Pretti’s arms flail.—
Michael Biesecker,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights organizes, educates, and defends immigrant communities, pairing on-the-ground support with an unflinching push for a more humane national policy.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Sins of Kujo, adapted from Shohei Manabe’s manga, casts Yuya Yagira as a morally ambiguous lawyer who defends society’s most reprehensible figures, a dark, adult-skewing legal drama.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Jan. 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 31 Jan. 2026.
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