CLUNG (TO) Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

clung (to)

verb

Definition of clung (to)

past tense of cling (to)

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clung (to)

Verb

Coryell also denied Qualls’ claim and defended Rankin in a statement.

— Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Rees-Mogg defended Britain’s decision to enter the war, arguing that the country’s victory over Nazi Germany preserved its sovereignty and prevented Hitler from continuing to expand across Europe.

— Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of defended

Verb

As the recording played, with Davis recounting seeing the ambulance that was carrying the rapper, Shakur’s sister clenched her left hand against her mouth.

— Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Clad in the world champion’s rainbows, Evenepoel clenched both his fists, beamed a toothy grin, and hugged his soigneur.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Definition of clenched

Verb

While in front of a judge, Siders, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, kept shielding her stomach and clutched her belly, The Daily Mail reported.

— Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Groups of screaming preschoolers pass by us in the park, fists clutched tight onto their walking ropes, chubby hands waving hello or pointing to squirrels scampering in their path.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of clutched

Verb

Paris — Students fought running battles with police and several schools were ablaze Friday as a new day of violence gripped France with no end in sight to protests that have rocked the country.

— Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Secondly, as markets remain gripped by concerns around long-term public debt and fiscal sustainability globally, Gower acknowledged that higher bond yields remain a challenge for non-yielding assets like gold.

— Hugh Leask, CNBC, 30 Sep. 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

Ross also grabbed the woman by her ponytail and slammed her against the wall, causing injuries to her face and lip, according to the report.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Israel, Iranian analysts have noted, grabbed territory in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and Syria after October 7 and argued that doing so was essential for its security.

— Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of grabbed

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clung

clung (to)

clunk

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“Clung (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clung%20%28to%29. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of clung (to)

verb

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