Synonyms of lingering

lingering 1 of 2

adjective

as in residual

still existing or happening after something is completed or removed

The area is still feeling the lingering effects of the hurricane.

There are lingering questions about the extent of his involvement in the crime.

Related Words

• residual
• lasting
• persisting
• remaining
• enduring
• leftover
• continuing
• abiding
• staying
• holding up
• keeping up
• surviving
• biding
• perduring
• holding on
• tarrying
• running on
• prevailing
• sticking around
• carrying through

Dissimilar Words

• waning
• dying (down)
• subsiding
• ebbing
• abating
• dying
• passing
• ending
• moderating
• letting up
• finishing
• concluding
• closing
• stopping
• lapsing
• terminating
• expiring
• winding up
• ceasing
• quitting
• leaving off
• desisting
• discontinuing

lingering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of linger

as in delaying

to move or act slowly

since they were charging by the hour, the house painters lingered in finishing up their work

Synonyms & Similar Words

• delaying
• dragging
• poking
• crawling
• creeping
• strolling
• loitering
• lagging
• playing
• dawdling
• shuffling
• falling behind
• stalling
• moping
• tarrying
• dropping behind
• hanging fire
• lollygagging
• marking time
• diddling
• dallying
• dillydallying
• lounging
• staggering
• idling
• dragging one's feet
• taking one's time
• shilly-shallying
• trifling
• sauntering
• loafing
• fiddling (around)
• ambling
• puttering (around)
• hanging (around or out)
• pottering (around)
• fooling around
• lolling
• inching
• messing around
• easing
• monkeying (around)
• decelerating
• slowing (down or up)
• procrastinating
• temporizing
• plodding
• lumbering
• filibustering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• running
• tearing
• flying
• hurrying
• rushing
• whirling
• hastening
• scurrying
• racing
• ripping
• scudding
• dashing
• speeding
• barreling
• whizzing
• zipping
• darting
• coursing
• bolting
• whisking
• rocketing
• scooting
• careering
• scrambling
• running
• breezing
• stampeding
• hurtling
• hustling
• galloping
• humping
• bowling
• trotting
• sprinting
• accelerating
• jogging
• quickening
• hotfooting (it)
• speeding (up)
• overtaking
• outrunning
• catching up
• outstripping
• outpacing
• fast-forwarding

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of lingering

Adjective

Communities near the Canadian fires could see lingering impacts into the weekend as long as fires continue burning and winds keep transporting smoke south. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 15 July 2026

Thomas missed 57 games last season, mostly because of the same lingering left hamstring issue. — C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026

On the one hand, that means that many survive the disease without serious lingering effects. — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025

Verb

The floods drew attention to still unhealed wounds — and lingering regrets. — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

Despite the lingering outages, the disruptions remained concentrated rather than widespread. — Christopher Scarglato, Baltimore Sun, 19 July 2026

The lingering smoke from Canadian wildfires may have kept some away but those in attendance were eager to show off their pets. — David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026

But England managed to quell any lingering feeling with a try after only four minutes to winger Tommy Freeman, then a double to backrower Ben Earl which gave it a 19-3 lead at halftime. — ABC News, 18 July 2026

That left a question lingering about how seriously each team would take Saturday’s third-place game. — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2026

Using thumbs to blast the air conditioning on a 96-degree summer day with Canadian wildfire smoke lingering overhead is no small thing. — Greg Migliore, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

This season, our editors are savoring the activities that take us back to some of our favorite childhood days—jumping off docks, sliding down twisty pool slides, and lingering outside long into the evening. — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 4 July 2026

Any strange or lingering foot symptoms, though, could be a sign of a bigger health condition. — Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 3 July 2026