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
After improvements in passenger totals in 2021, 2022, and 2023, San Jose and Oakland both began to suffer slumps in 2024 and the weakening pattern has lingered well into 2025, a review of official airport statistics shows.
—
Hector Amezcua, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Still, despite the trauma-thirsty embrace of Luke’s story from the media, the music lingered.
—Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
Honest heart-to-heart conversations can help bridge emotional gaps that have lingered too long.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
The former governor lingered onstage after the cameras stopped rolling, shaking hands with donors and old friends, the trappings of power slipping away.
—Nik Popli, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
The atmosphere in the State Dining Room remained respectful, but resistance to the president’s proposal lingered.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
One evening, the three of us lingered over dinner at their favorite Italian restaurant.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Heavy rainfall that lingered after the hurricane passed caused landslides across the island, according to the University of West Indies.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2025
Uncertainty has lingered about the post-war governance of Gaza and security in the territory if the group is disarmed.
—Ibrahim Dahman, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Hector Amezcua, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Still, despite the trauma-thirsty embrace of Luke’s story from the media, the music lingered.
—Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
Honest heart-to-heart conversations can help bridge emotional gaps that have lingered too long.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
The former governor lingered onstage after the cameras stopped rolling, shaking hands with donors and old friends, the trappings of power slipping away.
—Nik Popli, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
The atmosphere in the State Dining Room remained respectful, but resistance to the president’s proposal lingered.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
One evening, the three of us lingered over dinner at their favorite Italian restaurant.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Heavy rainfall that lingered after the hurricane passed caused landslides across the island, according to the University of West Indies.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2025
Uncertainty has lingered about the post-war governance of Gaza and security in the territory if the group is disarmed.
—Ibrahim Dahman, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lingered
Verb
-
But the bailout merely delayed the inevitable.—
MUHIB RAHMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Nov. 2025
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Some 1,902 flights within, into or out of the United States also were delayed on Tuesday, according to FlightAware, along with the 1,210 that had been canceled.—
Kevin Shalvey,
ABC News,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Though some institutions have welcomed workers’ unions, others have dragged their feet.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Knocked unconscious, Will is then dragged by the Demogorgon to the lair of Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Whoopi Goldberg, Emily Blunt and Natasha Lyonne were among the stars expressing their outrage, while Ryan Reynolds poked fun at Tilly in his new Mint Mobile ad.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Low branches poked at the roof of our boat and brushed our arms.—
Idra Novey,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
One live roach crawled on the floor near the kitchen door.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Roaring out of the gates in Set 2, the Raiders mounted a commanding 10-2 lead, but the Storm went blow for blow with the Raiders and crawled back into the set.—
Andrew Cornelius,
Twin Cities,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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After the players strolled onto the field through an opening in center field, rapper Ice Cube, a huge Dodger fan, drove a vintage blue Chevy convertible containing the World Series trophy.—
Steve Futterman,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
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On a recent Friday night, families strolled through an outdoor carnival, eating ice cream, while children rode amusement rides.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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There, the crop continued to grow while white-faced ibis and killdeer birds loitered around the water.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
For many parts of the country, the average date of the first fall frost has passed, and the chill of autumn nights has already crept in, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.—
Stuart Dyos,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
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Pain crept into the set of his mouth.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lingered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lingered. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.
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