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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of linger
Rain, snow and gusty winds hitting the Sacramento area and Northern California are expected to linger through the work week.
—
Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 17 Feb. 2026
The quarterly surveys by the nonprofit Department of Angels give a limited view of the housing instability that still lingers a year after the fire.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
The case sparked a political scandal last year that led to the ouster of Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, and fueled new public anger at lingering corruption as Ukraine fights Russia in its four-year war.
—Reuters, NBC news, 16 Feb. 2026
The moviegoing banquet may be over, but the menus linger on.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for linger
Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 17 Feb. 2026
The quarterly surveys by the nonprofit Department of Angels give a limited view of the housing instability that still lingers a year after the fire.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
The case sparked a political scandal last year that led to the ouster of Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, and fueled new public anger at lingering corruption as Ukraine fights Russia in its four-year war.
—Reuters, NBC news, 16 Feb. 2026
The moviegoing banquet may be over, but the menus linger on.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for linger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for linger
Verb
-
It was also delayed thanks to a series of multiple wet dress rehearsal failures.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Los Altos Hills Mayor Rajiv Bhateja said since taxes are likely unfeasible, the hike could force the the town to lay off 10% of its staff or delay key projects like road maintenance.—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
About 20 firefighters are actively considering leaving the department, Veit said — and that number continues to increase as contract negotiations drag on.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Her criminal case has dragged on, unresolved, and she is entitled to be presumed innocent.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Another two were crawling behind a prep table.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
-
However, these were among six restaurants and one food truck in Broward and Palm Beach counties that made the emergency closure list, with issues ranging from roaches crawling around kitchens to employees not washing their hands (one after rubbing/smashing a dead roach with their fingers).—
Kari Barnett,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Social media users have also been poking fun at how popular the jackets are among the Asian diaspora.—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Start by checking the soil’s moisture by poking a finger 2 inches into the top of the soil.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In 2022, state lawmakers decriminalized loitering with the intent to commit prostitution in California.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Ground convoys remain vulnerable to surveillance, long-range fires, and loitering munitions.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This could be an oasis destination for residing, shopping, strolling and living in the middle of the city.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
-
While others were out to brunch or quiet picnics to take in Valentine’s Day with their romantic partners, those at Elk Grove Park strolled past lion dancers and food vendors as the city celebrated the Lunar New Year.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Linger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/linger. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
