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
  • Hartig defended the institution and clapped back against the July 4 White House report.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2026
  • The event recognized a Dodgers club that successfully defended its championship while surviving one of the toughest postseason tests in recent memory.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of defended
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
  • Since then, Emma has not only stood by his side together with their daughters, Mabel Ray Willis, who was born in April 2012, and Evelyn Penn Willis, born in May 2014, but has become an advocate for FTD and caregiving awareness.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 25 July 2026
  • But Tortorella stood by his decision not to turn to Adin Hill, who won the Cup with the 2023 team but hadn’t appeared in a game since April 9.
    — Joe Smith, New York Times, 24 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
  • Smith grabbed Hicks near her throat and slammed her into the car and onto the pavement, according to Hicks’ attorney.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
  • Janet grabbed a roll of paper towels, ready to clean up the dirty drips that ran across her kitchen floor.
    — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 23 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 31 Jul. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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