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
That path through air bends and filters sunlight, scattering blues and letting reds and oranges linger, often creating a razor-thin gradient that stretches thousands of miles along the planet's curve.
—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 27 Jan. 2026
That iconic call is the lingering memory from another heartbreaking Cowboys loss to the Steelers, this time in Super Bowl 13.
—R.j. Coyle, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026
The brutal cold lingered after storms over the weekend and Monday dumped deep snow across more than 1,300 miles from Arkansas to New England and left parts of the South coated in treacherous ice.
—Russ Bynum, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
While city services were expected to return mostly to normal, the effects lingered at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for linger
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 27 Jan. 2026
That iconic call is the lingering memory from another heartbreaking Cowboys loss to the Steelers, this time in Super Bowl 13.
—R.j. Coyle, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026
The brutal cold lingered after storms over the weekend and Monday dumped deep snow across more than 1,300 miles from Arkansas to New England and left parts of the South coated in treacherous ice.
—Russ Bynum, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
While city services were expected to return mostly to normal, the effects lingered at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for linger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for linger
Verb
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His transfer to the VA psychiatric facility was delayed until December because Taras’ arrest on federal charges halted proceedings in a state court plea agreement that would have allowed him to be admitted sooner.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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The game was delayed by Ridgewood’s buses arriving late due to heavy lake affect snow closer to the city, making for a long day.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Davis is alleged to have dragged Rossel through a stairwell, kitchen and back exit before assaulting her in a parking garage.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Antonio was also found in the counter area, but authorities allege he had been stabbed in the kitchen area before his body was dragged to that spot.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Stay low and keep crawling forward for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.—
RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan,
Health,
29 Jan. 2026
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Mergers have crawled since 2021 and were finally expected to rebound last year.—
Luisa Beltran,
Sportico.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Hadn’t poked my nose in anywhere, hadn’t seen anything, and just really enjoyed watching the film.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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And the Banchet’s executive director, Michael Muser, poked at food influencers, made fun of the rising popularity of alcohol-free wine and jabbed at some restaurants using AI for creating recipes.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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According to residents in the area, the man taken into custody has reportedly been loitering around the South Florida neighborhood for several weeks.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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Defense startups Helsing and Stark Defence are each set to win €300 million contracts from Germany’s Bundeswehr for loitering munitions, leaving local giant Rheinmetall behind, people familiar with the situation say.—
Gerry Doyle,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The College was also spotted in episodes 7 and 8 when members of the Ton strolled through the Grand Square and surrounding areas.—
Kayla Keegan,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
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Beyond the slopes, winter musts include wildlife spotting in Grand Teton National Park, a sleigh ride through the National Elk Refuge, and strolling downtown Jackson, known for its iconic antler arches.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Linger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/linger. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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