CLINGS (TO) Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

clings (to)

verb

present tense third-person singular of cling (to)

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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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

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for clings (to)

Verb

But Hsu stands by the survey’s soundness and its methodology, which in recent years shifted to gathering survey responses online rather than over the phone.

— Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
But this year is different, and the roles are reversed; David and his uncle do the swapping while Peralta stands by to place each sticker carefully into the album.

— Maria Jose Gutierrez-Chavez, Curbed, 17 July 2026

Definition of stands by

Verb

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
In the midst of handing the job over to his son, even as Diego is making a speech about water supplies, hygiene and education, Don Alejandro snatches it back to cheers, clutches his heart and dies.

— Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026

Definition of clutches

Verb

Hamzah Sheeraz defends his WBO super middleweight belt against Simon Zachenhuber, and Josh Kelly defends the IBF junior middleweight title against Caoimhin Agyarko.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Cunningham defends and protects the most popular figure in women's sports.

— Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026

Definition of defends

Verb

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
This Laura Geller hydrating primer creates a silky-smooth canvas that grips your foundation for all-day wear.

— Madeline Merinuk, PEOPLE, 20 June 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 multi-purpose stadium, home to NFL’s Chicago Bears and MLS’ Chicago Fire, holds 62,500 fans.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 20 July 2026
But extreme rainfall is becoming more common as planet-warming pollution pushes temperatures higher because warmer air holds more moisture.

— Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

Definition of holds

Verb

The company said its proprietary data asset grabs millions of live data points across tens of thousands of factories and suppliers.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 17 July 2026
Objects d’art In the living room, a vintage motorcycle immediately grabs visitors’ attention.

— Annabelle Dufraigne, Architectural Digest, 14 July 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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“Clings (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clings%20%28to%29. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of clings (to)

verb

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