as in delayed
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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Recent Examples of lingered
Guests lingered late, revisiting the portrait installations and pausing to watch the videos again before collecting goodie bags—with keepsakes from La Mer, Zip Water, California Closets, and James Hardie included, tying the event back to AD’s broader focus on world-class innovation.
—
Andrea Navarro, Vogue, 25 Feb. 2026
Overall, the meal lingered with me.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 25 Feb. 2026
But while the impact of Edward’s abdication lingered for years, the crisis reached a crescendo in a few days.
—ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Thursday’s blowout in Cleveland lingered, but Friday offered a chance to respond.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
Turns out, that is not just because the initial hamstring pull lingered.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026
What stayed with me was Colin’s optimism and his curiosity — those are the things that really lingered.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
Napoli said the scars of trauma lingered for a long time.
—Joe Holden, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
The Twin Earth, from Jaio Studios, lingered in the memory with its stylistic animation about the discovery of another, happier Earth.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2026
Andrea Navarro, Vogue, 25 Feb. 2026
Overall, the meal lingered with me.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 25 Feb. 2026
But while the impact of Edward’s abdication lingered for years, the crisis reached a crescendo in a few days.
—ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Thursday’s blowout in Cleveland lingered, but Friday offered a chance to respond.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
Turns out, that is not just because the initial hamstring pull lingered.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026
What stayed with me was Colin’s optimism and his curiosity — those are the things that really lingered.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
Napoli said the scars of trauma lingered for a long time.
—Joe Holden, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
The Twin Earth, from Jaio Studios, lingered in the memory with its stylistic animation about the discovery of another, happier Earth.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lingered
Verb
-
The project was revived in 2019 with plans to launch production in 2022, but further challenges delayed progress.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
-
His sentencing was delayed as Khan sought to withdraw his no contest plea.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Clinton Towers Tenants Association President Mary Somoza says residents are fed up with construction in the lobby and on the facade that's dragged on for three years.—
Tim McNicholas,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
As the weeks dragged, the RAF turned to a fringe Palestinian militant group, then based in Baghdad, for help.—
Jason Burke,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Just before halftime, Hoffmann poked a loose ball ahead to midcourt, beat a Vernon Hills player to the ball and raced to the basket for a layup to give the Rams a 21-13 lead.—
Bobby Narang,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Later, outside of Guthrie's home, Tucson resident Lupita Tello poked the dirt with a sharp metal rod soldered to a handle.—
Helen Rummel,
USA Today,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Three roaches crawled on the floor elsewhere.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
-
In some cases, these restaurants crawled — for decades — so that Charlotte’s food scene could walk.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As for the living, two roaches strolled on top of an in-use oven and on the side of an oven door in a back prep area.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
-
When the show opened in the Expo Hall on Thursday, patrons Michael and Kriss Buzzell of Antioch strolled around the showroom floor.—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
At the start of that brief official visit, his first, five military-grade drones loitered dangerously near Dublin Airport’s busiest civilian flight paths unopposed.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
30 Dec. 2025
-
The hotel is a short walk from the Jericho Tavern, where Radiohead played its first gig, in 1986, and around the corner from a now shuttered HMV, in whose aisles Donwood and Yorke once loitered, scouting the competition.—
Zoe Si,
New Yorker,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
This book by Jessamine Chan crept its way into my marrow and refused to get out.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Shots stopped falling, turnovers crept in and possessions that had previously looked sharp dissolved into hurried attempts and empty trips.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lingered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lingered. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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