cradling

verb

present participle of cradle
1
as in clinging

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2
as in watching

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cradling
  1. clinging
  2. watching
  3. grabbing
  4. nurturing
  5. clasping
  6. cultivating
  7. hugging
  8. attending
Verb
  • The Monarchs were clinging to a 21-20 lead in the second set when Matavao took control, hammering spikes for her team’s last four points.
    — Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Anir has remained glued to the door, his left hand gripping the handle as if clinging to something solid might keep him from faltering.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of clinging
Verb
  • Trump, reportedly watching returns from the White House, criticized Fox News coverage before most polls had closed.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Apparently, a man – and woman – gotta check election results while waiting and watching the three Jonases on stage.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of watching
Verb
  • Ben and Victor are suspicious of Kriste for immediately grabbing her chalice.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
  • After a bloody skirmish with the orcs and wild men, an imposing figure arrives on horseback, grabbing one of the warriors and hurling him at Galadriel’s approaching horse.
    — Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of grabbing
Verb
  • The legendary British art collector has spent half a century acquiring paintings, sculpture, and furniture, along with nurturing contemporary creatives as a formidable patron.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Advertisement A little emotions education goes a long way towards nurturing your well-being.
    — Juli Fraga, Time, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of nurturing
Verb
  • The upshot of this is that George, who works the room in a sharp gray suit, a few tattoos peeking out, has plenty of opportunities to charismatically make things right, shaking hands and clasping shoulders and sending over lull-filling drinks.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • But if the awards season goes as the streamer plans, a journey that began in Cannes with a rapturous standing ovation, could end with Los Javis clasping some golden statues.
    — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of clasping
Verb
  • She is credited with leading a period of substantial business growth and innovation, and cultivating relationships with customers, which will all be important for Bergdorf’s heading into the future.
    — David Moin, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The married owners—Ingrid Rivas, an agronomist, and Radamés Arroyo, an engineer—first began developing the 25-acre property by cultivating Tahiti limes, and the name Hacienda Verde Tahití later became a tribute to those agricultural beginnings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of cultivating
Verb
  • Kate Middleton, meanwhile, gave leg-hugging denim her royal seal of approval on a September outing in Scotland.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 5 Nov. 2026
  • His baggy jeans, chest-hugging polo and Oakley raver sunglasses lend themselves better to the hipster neighborhood of Silver Lake.
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of hugging
Verb
  • PinkPantheress has been diving even deeper into the world of high fashion of late, so attending this year’s CFDAs felt like the perfect opportunity to further experiment with her own approach to red carpet dressing.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Cinequest suggests that much of the improvement comes from existing moviegoers attending more frequently, rather than from a substantial influx of new spectators.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of attending
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

cradles
cradling
craft
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Cite this Entry

“Cradling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cradling. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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