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

Shohei Ohtani returned to the top of the Dodgers’ lineup Monday after four days off to address lingering aches, as the club effectively pauses its pitching program for the two-way star. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026

No more distractions, no more lingering questions, just a baller who loves this sport and continues to level up. — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Although the treatment significantly reduced the cancer, follow-up exams showed lingering traces of the disease. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2026

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

As the duo row through pitch-black darkness toward the flame, John experiences harrowing visions of his father and of his younger self, revealed to be an effect of the fear toxin lingering in the air. — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026

Still some lingering light rain and breezy conditions across parts of the Northeast for tomorrow morning, but not a washout for most. — ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026

One dad jumped onto Reddit to vent about his recent experience on a flight with his family–and how being judged has led to some lingering hurt. — Devonne Goode, Parents, 26 Sep. 2026

Copenhaver was struck in the arm and in the abdomen, wounds that left him with lingering injuries and walking with a cane. — Gene Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

On the title track, galloping rhythms and lingering lap steel notes conjure the image of a condor soaring overhead. — Cata Balzano, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2026

Sure, plastic kitchenware can be cost-effective up front, but repeatedly replacing staples that have warped, scratched, or held onto lingering odors adds up over time. — Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2026

One of the bigger lingering questions is whether Iran will accept a new negotiation that Washington could use to extract further concessions. — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2026

But now there’s the lingering unknown amid a fight that can feel endless. — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026