clung (to)

Definition of clung (to)next
past tense of cling (to)
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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clung (to)
Verb
  • Knives are clutched, teeth are clenched, and a desperate Russian ex-pat yells loud enough for their long-dead ancestors to hear all the way back in the motherland.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 13 May 2026
  • Jordan clenched the cup so tightly her knuckles turned white.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 May 2026
Verb
  • Roach clutched a black Mini Kelly (of course Hermès gave him the best color) and his long black hair never looked a strand out of place.
    Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 5 May 2026
  • Parents clutched their children closer.
    Amy Driscoll, Miami Herald, 3 May 2026
Verb
  • Mali, a former French colony long gripped by insurgency, is governed by a military junta following consecutive coups in 2020 and 2021.
    Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
  • In 2020, as the pandemic gripped the world, Cord Jefferson, Max Read, Emma Carmichael and Leah Beckmann spent their days in a Zoom writers room immersed in a project that hit close to home.
    Frank DiGiacomo, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2026
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
Verb
  • Maksymowski and Fountain Valley’s Alyssa Ton defended their titles in the 200 and 500 freestyles.
    Dan Albano, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
  • The people who fought for this country, defended our freedoms, and sacrificed for our communities are being told there is suddenly not enough money for programs that support them.
    Anne Brensley, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • Sabres winger Zach Benson took advantage of Lane Hutson stumbling at the defensive blue line, and grabbed a loose puck before setting up Josh Doan for the opening goal less than five minutes into the game.
    Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 7 May 2026
  • When he was found, deputies said Ortiz became belligerent, yelled at employees, threatened to harm them with a gun, and grabbed one of the resort employees.
    Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • Osaka stood by a reception desk, apparently early for her driver.
    Jane Bua, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
  • Police on the scene noted that after firing those fatal shots, Myers stood by the body and made no attempt to perform life-saving measures.
    Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
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.

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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 14 May. 2026.

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