clung (to)

verb

Definition of clung (to)next
past tense of cling (to)
1
as in kept (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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clenched
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 clung (to)
  1. defended
  2. clenched
  3. stood by
  4. clutched
  5. gripped
  6. held
  7. grabbed
Verb
  • Ireland defended against more than 20 phases of All Blacks attacks around the 70th minute, but its defense broke again to allow a last try to New Zealand center Anton Lienert-Brown in the 79th minute.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
  • The organization, at best, defended writers, in some circumstances, and only in some jurisdictions, from the right to protection from retaliation.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
Definition of defended
Verb
  • At the final whistle, Mbappe clenched his fists and appeared to look the other way as Paraguay’s goalkeeper Orlando Gill sought a handshake.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • The White House Key Facts A rendering of the passport shared by the White House on Friday shows Trump presumably leaning over the Resolute Desk, fists clenched, alongside his signature and text from the Declaration of Independence.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
Definition of clenched
Verb
  • The France players headed down the tunnel and England stood by the podium in the middle of the pitch.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • Trump’s aides have stood by his personal and family business practices.
    — Bill Barrow, Fortune, 17 July 2026
Definition of stood by
Verb
  • The German fell to the ground and clutched his right knee in pain, with Sinner coming over to check on his opponent before helping Zverev up off the grass.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 July 2026
  • Kirk’s widow, Erika, clutched a tissue and watched intently as a person said to be Robinson ran across the roof.
    — Hannah Schoenbaum, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026
Definition of clutched
Verb
  • The action mercifully settles into a less disorienting rhythm before too long, but the choppy prologue at least has the benefit of conveying the tense disarray that has gripped the shores of Ithaca in the decades since King Odysseus left for battle.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
  • Yet as economic and political turmoil has gripped the world in recent years, the forum has all too often occupied the sidelines.
    — Peter Rough, Washington Post, 15 July 2026
Definition of gripped
Verb
  • The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.
    — Daniel S. Levine, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.
    — Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2025
Definition of held
Verb
  • The victim followed the fleeing Jeep on foot and grabbed onto the vehicle when it got stuck in traffic, authorities said.
    — Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 16 July 2026
  • In September 2020, author Elin Hilderbrand grabbed a drink at the Nantucket Hotel bar with a visiting writer friend.
    — Clarissa Cruz, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026
Definition of grabbed
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.

Browse Nearby Words

clung
clung (to)
clunk
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Cite this Entry

“Clung (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clung%20%28to%29. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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