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
Relevance
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)
Verb
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As Rathbun and other officers retreated, Webster clenched both fists, crouched into a linebacker’s stance, and charged into Rathbun, knocking him to the ground.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026 -
My muscles, head, neck and back were clenched.—
William D. Brown,
Outdoor Life,
13 Nov. 2025
Verb
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To complete her outfit, Kylie clutched a White Birkin Faubourg House Alligator Bag, which is worth anywhere from $200K to upwards of $300K, according to Sotheby's.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
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Raynaud clutched his left knee while writhing in pain before limping off the floor with assistance from head athletic trainer Joel Noland.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Venezuela is gripped by fear and uncertainty in the aftermath of the removal of longtime leader Nicolás Maduro, with many inside the country questioning whether his capture truly signals the end of the authoritarian system that has ruled for years.—
Ted Scouten,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
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In a court case that gripped the nation, Karen Read was cleared of the murder charges relating to the death of her boyfriend John O’Keefe, a Boston police officer.—
Isabelle Friedman,
Boston Herald,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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The New England Patriots defended home turf in the Wild Card Round, dominating the Los Angeles Chargers in a 16-3 victory to move on in the NFL Playoffs.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson defended the final-drive defense afterward.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Javonte Green missed a potential tying 3-point try and Paul Reed grabbed the rebound, but committed Detroit's 25th turnover.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
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Carolyn Collins scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Mya Korpal had 15 points as Winchester came back to defeat Reading 54-53 in Middlesex League play.—
Tyler McManus,
Boston Herald,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Chief Financial Officer Sara Hyzer said the soft numbers were primarily because of timing issues, not weaker demand from end customers, and the company stood by its financial forecasts for the upcoming year.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
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Republicans have largely stood by the president, arguing the military operation was legal and justified.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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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 13 Jan. 2026.
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