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
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lingering
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
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
The filmmaker explores how Inés’ coming of age mirrors the lingering wounds of Chile’s political transition to democracy from the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet – a theme at the heart of Martelli’s feature debut Chile ’76, which premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
The Georgia Republican Party passed a resolution last year seeking to block Raffensperger from qualifying for office, a symbolic move that underscored the lingering anger toward him inside the party.
—Joe Kovac, AJC.com, 12 May 2026
Few expect a resolution to the Taiwan issue, lingering since China and Taiwan split in a civil war in 1949.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
That lingering heat is visible from space.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 11 May 2026
Leaving wet clothes in the washer encourages mildew and lingering odors.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 11 May 2026
While coverage is expected to be more scattered, isolated strong to severe storms could still produce hail and gusty winds, particularly where daytime heating and lingering boundaries overlap.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
The two men dined at a table alone, lingering long after all other diners had dispersed.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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
Damp conditions inside the drum encourage mildew and lingering odors that can be tough to remove from fabric.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
The filmmaker explores how Inés’ coming of age mirrors the lingering wounds of Chile’s political transition to democracy from the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet – a theme at the heart of Martelli’s feature debut Chile ’76, which premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
The Georgia Republican Party passed a resolution last year seeking to block Raffensperger from qualifying for office, a symbolic move that underscored the lingering anger toward him inside the party.
—Joe Kovac, AJC.com, 12 May 2026
Few expect a resolution to the Taiwan issue, lingering since China and Taiwan split in a civil war in 1949.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
That lingering heat is visible from space.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 11 May 2026
Leaving wet clothes in the washer encourages mildew and lingering odors.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 11 May 2026
While coverage is expected to be more scattered, isolated strong to severe storms could still produce hail and gusty winds, particularly where daytime heating and lingering boundaries overlap.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
The two men dined at a table alone, lingering long after all other diners had dispersed.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lingering
Adjective
-
Rather than discarding the residual sludge left behind after conventional anaerobic digestion, the system subjects it to an additional treatment stage known as Advanced Wet Oxidation and Steam Explosion (AWOEx).—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 May 2026
-
Instead, the residual heat will be recovered and used to help warm buildings at the research center, which hosts more than 2,500 employees.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Electric propulsion also enables Blitz to have a low acoustic as well as infra-red signature, delaying detection.—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
-
Temporarily delaying action on a state law that would open the door for a lot of homes to be built across the city.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
By putting phones aside, moments are more meaningful, and spontaneous conversations can blossom into lasting friendships.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
16 May 2026
-
Her approach reflects a broader effort to build care models that can support lasting access, equity, and accountability.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Travelers end up dragging coats through museums or try to shove them into already full suitcases before a train transfer.—
Chantelle Kincy,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
-
That’s led to a stark split between Wall Street analysts and energy experts, who have been warning that oil supplies could head off a cliff in the coming months or even weeks, dragging the global economy down in the process.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Before Sweets could be dressed and draped for surgery, the three feet of stick poking out of her body needed to be addressed.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
-
British politics in 2026 is a landscape of meh, with Farage’s grin poking over the horizon.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Police said the driver was eventually able to escape by crawling out a window.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
-
Staff started out by wearing bear masks and animal furs, then crawling into the enclosure to spoon-feed the cubs formula.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Audiences have championed the films for their creeping realism and slow-building scares that made ordinary bedrooms, hallways and home security cameras feel terrifying.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
-
This low-mounding shade perennial sends up taller, slender stems with airy flower clusters, and the groundcover spreads by slowly creeping rhizomes.—
Judy Nauseef,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lingering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lingering. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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