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
The last Super El Niño reshaped weather and economies around the world, leaving disruptions that lingered long after the Pacific cooled.
—
Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 19 May 2026
Others lingered near the bar, clutching cocktails and scanning the room before finally introducing themselves to strangers.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 19 May 2026
Joao Gomes, one of the few current players to escape the wrath of disgruntled supporters, lingered on the pitch after his team-mates had left following a brief, post-match lap of appreciation.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 18 May 2026
Negga and Skarsgård lingered over the long tables filled with food, but both had to leave early to catch the next film.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 17 May 2026
But Polis, whose final term ends early next year, will also leave office having checked off some issues that have lingered for years.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
And while the night sweats and the respiratory stuff cleared up pretty quickly, the fatigue lingered for two and a half weeks.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
His oblique muscle strain lingered longer than initially anticipated.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Still, the conception that this is a disease of the ovaries has lingered.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 12 May 2026
Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 19 May 2026
Others lingered near the bar, clutching cocktails and scanning the room before finally introducing themselves to strangers.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 19 May 2026
Joao Gomes, one of the few current players to escape the wrath of disgruntled supporters, lingered on the pitch after his team-mates had left following a brief, post-match lap of appreciation.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 18 May 2026
Negga and Skarsgård lingered over the long tables filled with food, but both had to leave early to catch the next film.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 17 May 2026
But Polis, whose final term ends early next year, will also leave office having checked off some issues that have lingered for years.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
And while the night sweats and the respiratory stuff cleared up pretty quickly, the fatigue lingered for two and a half weeks.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
His oblique muscle strain lingered longer than initially anticipated.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Still, the conception that this is a disease of the ovaries has lingered.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 12 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lingered
Verb
-
Timelines for the deployment of solid-state and sodium-ion batteries, seen as the next step in cutting-edge technology, have been delayed, however.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
19 May 2026
-
Waiting until major fires start often means limited options, delayed shipping and inflated prices.—
Ryan Brennan
May 19,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Sources connected to the investigation told the paper that it was later determined that the body had been dragged from a nearby homeless encampment.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
22 May 2026
-
As the violence dragged on, at least 15 people were killed, hundreds were injured, and more than two thousand were arrested, and pro-independence leaders were transferred to prisons in mainland France.—
Wesley Alexander Hill,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
The Angels added two runs in the eighth inning when Josh Lowe poked a double just over the head of Gelof at third base to score Nolan Schanuel and Logan O’Hoppe.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
20 May 2026
-
In the same show, Louis Theroux made a cameo, and Gatwa poked fun at his time as Doctor Who.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
But Inglis kept losing partners to Punjab fast bowler Marco Jansen (2-33) and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (2-25) and Lucknow crawled to 196.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 May 2026
-
The children, a 10-year-old and two 14-year-olds who struggle with sensory issues, crawled through the back door and under the deck and waited until police came to escort them away.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Just around the corner from the rally on Tajrish Square, in a tranquil park near the Cinema Museum of Iran, locals perused an open-air book stall and sipped tea, while couples strolled hand in hand.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
-
The candidate strolled in with a videographer and photographer.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Other executives, coaches and support staff loitered in the hall, speaking in hushed tones if at all.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
-
In the petition filing, Buckingham wrote that Dick had loitered around his and his family members’ homes, called repeatedly and left threatening voicemails, and taped a photo collage of herself and Buckingham to his mailbox.—
Senior Television,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Overland Park, Johnson County’s largest city, crept further above 200,000 in 2025, with estimates counting 203,677 people — a nearly 3% increase from 2020’s 197,835 residents.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
-
Still, dozens of drivers crept around the lot, hoping to pounce if someone pulled out.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lingered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lingered. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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