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
Maybe things didn’t go as planned or maybe there’s no clear reason at all, just a lingering unsettling feeling.
—
Barton Goldsmith, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Rooms are generous in size and designed for lingering and lounging.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
While some rain lingers overnight into the pre-sunrise hours on Saturday, things will dry out just in time for the weekend.
—Michael Autovino, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
So while nothing may happen right away, the exposure can create risk that lingers.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for linger
Barton Goldsmith, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Rooms are generous in size and designed for lingering and lounging.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
While some rain lingers overnight into the pre-sunrise hours on Saturday, things will dry out just in time for the weekend.
—Michael Autovino, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
So while nothing may happen right away, the exposure can create risk that lingers.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for linger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for linger
Verb
-
The fight, though, kept getting delayed.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
-
Plans were reportedly delayed after Kate’s cancer diagnosis in 2024, but with her now in remission and feeling better, a tour is once again on the table.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
As the Iran war drags on, concerns over rising gas prices and other costs have ballooned, sending consumer sentiment plummeting.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
But now, in a last-ditch attempt to save the whale, a team has loaded Timmy onto a specialized barge to essentially drag it to the North Sea.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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However, during one segment of the performance, a snake reportedly bit the German tourist after crawling into his clothing.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Wages for hourly employees have crawled, while the paychecks of investors and executives have soared.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When Andrei Vasilevskiy tried to poke the puck away, Bolduc had moved so deep into the crease area that the puck went off him and into the net for his first career playoff goal.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The host also poked fun at the Trumps’ living separately despite being married for 22 years.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In this role, attack choppers could be modified to highly maneuverable launch platforms for loitering munitions.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Suddenly three hours are gone and the fans are loitering around each chef’s station, ready to get their grub on.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ritsurin was built 400 years ago as a daimyo garden for feudal lords to stroll in.—
Lale Arikoglu,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 May 2026
-
Spend the next few hours strolling around the Davidson College campus, shopping for a new read at Main Street Books or a charming memento at Honeysuckle Home, and having a leisurely lunch at The Pickled Peach.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Linger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/linger. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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