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
  • Kotlikoff defended his leadership, arguing that replacing him would do little to solve complex problems and could damage Cornell’s reputation.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Despite the agency’s claims that its policies are legal, attorneys for the federal government have not defended the re-arrests or the use of unauthorized GPS monitoring.
    — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of defended
Verb
  • Parents rushing to a reunification center, hearts clenched with the hope of finding their children among the survivors.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • All of the grandeur and energy of Pollock’s looping brambles and cords are clenched in Krasner’s versions.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of clenched
Verb
  • When the Supreme Court ruled these tariffs as unconstitutional, the administration pivoted to other tariff authorities, and again, Congress stood by.
    — THEODORE BUNZEL, Foreign Affairs, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The arrangement would also require Netanyahu to jettison far-right and ultra-Orthodox allies who stood by him after the attack and through multiple wars and other crises.
    — Tia Goldenberg, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of stood by
Verb
  • Many clutched their pearls at the teen’s indifference, but the clip went viral as younger audiences embraced his detached demeanor.
    — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2026
  • In a first round that portended a lengthy and bloody fight, the Dodgers clutched to a 1-0 lead after three innings with ace Tarik Skubal on the mound and Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski headed for the showers.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of clutched
Verb
  • Tech stocks bore the brunt, but almost no equities were spared as fears of an AI slowdown gripped investors and sent them rushing to safety.
    — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2026
  • In the 1980s Americans became gripped with satanic panic, the fear that Satan worshippers were committing heinous crimes against children.
    — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 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
  • One of the officers grabbed a protester who was filming him and deployed pepper spray after a brief struggle.
    — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The story grabbed worldwide attention and ended tragically when the baby’s body was found in the woods just a few miles from home.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 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 13 Nov. 2026.

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