as in to delay
to move or act slowly
since they were charging by the hour, the house painters lingered in finishing up their work
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of linger
What happens in those hours can linger after Price leaves.
—
Derek James, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Those are the listings that lingered on the market for more than two months.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
Tong joined 16 other state attorneys general who name-checked this legislation as a way to address some lingering issues.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
Questions still linger about her whereabouts.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for linger
Derek James, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Those are the listings that lingered on the market for more than two months.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
Tong joined 16 other state attorneys general who name-checked this legislation as a way to address some lingering issues.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
Questions still linger about her whereabouts.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for linger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for linger
Verb
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The contest was delayed for about 10 minutes in the fourth after plate umpire Ron Kulpa exited due to taking a foul ball off his mask.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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Along with Buttó, right-hander Hayden Birdsong underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery, while right-handers Joel Peguero (Grade 2 hamstring strain) and left-hander Reiver Sanmartin (right hip flexor) sustained injuries that delayed the starts to their seasons.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In addition to being concerned about targeting, is there a sense from other people in the country that some Shias had brought this on themselves by supporting Hezbollah, and that Hezbollah dragged this country into the war?—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
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The paraeducator said Vaughn-Marcella allegedly grabbed the boy’s feet and dragged him 10 to 12 feet out of the classroom, according to the affidavit.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Another dealt with someone breaking up with her to get back with his ex, only to come crawling back.—
Brittany Levine Beckman,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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The town was crawling with boy band members, Mickey Mouse Clubbers and future Disney Channel stars.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Wrencher said Russell once tied her to a chair, poked her with a knife, and threatened to burn the house down, the son said.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
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Both characteristics were on full display when Drasner hit the local airwaves with a television commercial that promoted The News and poked fun at one of its upstart rivals.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Japan has announced plans to raise a fleet of loitering kamikaze drones and low-cost missiles to counter threats from China (and other regional threats).—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Apr. 2026
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Complaints included allegations of reckless driving, a cat being run over and vehicles loitering in neighborhoods.—
Brandon Lingle,
San Antonio Express-News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The change of seasons opens up all sorts of possibilities, from long walks through woods to strolling along city streets to drives through the countryside.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
3 Apr. 2026
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Once product characters strolled into the park in 1974, the floodgates opened.—
John Haddad,
The Conversation,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Linger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/linger. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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