as in adhesive
tending to adhere to objects upon contact
it took forever to clean up the clingy Styrofoam pellets that had been used as packing material for the lamp
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Recent Examples of clingy
While Robbie’s Cathy is spunky, stubborn, and independent, Elordi’s Heathcliff is brooding, desperate, and clingy.
—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 12 Feb. 2026
Naval warfare goes a bit clingy as Lockheed Martin unveils its robotic Lamprey Multi-Mission Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (MMAUV), which can hitch a ride on friendly ships or submarines by latching onto their hulls to conserve power.
—David Szondy
february 09, New Atlas, 9 Feb. 2026
At some point, each of us is faced with a clingy child, a dramatic friend, a partner who recoils at the first hint of intimacy, a volatile parent or a controlling boss — in short, a difficult relationship.
—Jessica A. Stern, The Conversation, 23 Jan. 2026
This often came in the form of a clingy statement boot, including over-the-knee styles by brands like Vetements and Balenciaga.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clingy
Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 12 Feb. 2026
Naval warfare goes a bit clingy as Lockheed Martin unveils its robotic Lamprey Multi-Mission Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (MMAUV), which can hitch a ride on friendly ships or submarines by latching onto their hulls to conserve power.
—David Szondy
february 09, New Atlas, 9 Feb. 2026
At some point, each of us is faced with a clingy child, a dramatic friend, a partner who recoils at the first hint of intimacy, a volatile parent or a controlling boss — in short, a difficult relationship.
—Jessica A. Stern, The Conversation, 23 Jan. 2026
This often came in the form of a clingy statement boot, including over-the-knee styles by brands like Vetements and Balenciaga.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clingy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clingy
Adjective
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Sticky pads/swabs to remove debris without leaving residue Sticky pads, also called sensor cleaning pads, use a gentle adhesive surface to lift debris from the sensor without leaving a residue.—
Jacob Little,
Space.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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These adhesive toe warmers offer up to eight hours of heat, so your feet can stay comfortable throughout your ski day.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Sometimes that includes sticky or chewy candies.—
Sundeep Venkatesan,
The Conversation,
23 Mar. 2026
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Inspectors found a dead rodent on an at-home sticky trap and noted that the back area smelled of rodent urine.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clingy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clingy. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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