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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Don’t leave home without a rose clenched between your teeth.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
17 Jan. 2026 -
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
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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Mass anti-government protests triggered by deteriorating economic conditions have gripped the country, presenting the Iranian regime with its biggest challenge in years.—
Hira Humayun,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
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The detainees held inside one of Venezuela’s notorious prisons had not yet heard the news that had gripped their nation and much of the world for the past week.—
Samantha Schmidt,
Washington Post,
10 Jan. 2026
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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Publicly, Sheinbaum has defended the policy, saying oil deliveries to Cuba are governed by long-term contracts and constitute a form of humanitarian aid.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
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As Carlson was being denounced by various conservatives for sitting down with Fuentes, the President defended him.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Jalen Duran scored 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, Daniss Jenkins added 17 points and the Detroit Pistons never trailed while cruising to their fourth straight victory, 112-104 over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
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The Cougars grabbed a 25-5 lead in the first 10 minutes and kept a safe distance throughout.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The mayor stood by nurses on the first day of their strike.—
Aziza Shuler,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
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Speaking about the doctors and nurses who stood by her side during one of the most challenging times in her family's life, Sarah has nothing but gratitude.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
16 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 28 Jan. 2026.
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