as in drags
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 lingers
Veloso’s imagery is one that lingers long after the film credits have rolled.
—
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
What lingers is that image of Powell in the beanie.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
In Norway’s northernmost reaches, where winter lingers for months beneath a veil of polar darkness and the sea governs every decision, lies Båtsfjord, a fishing village where cod assumes greater significance than God.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
The quarterly surveys by the nonprofit Department of Angels give a limited view of the housing instability that still lingers a year after the fire.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
That grandiosity simmers down into terrifying chase soundtracks and menacing hunter's heartbeats as the movie continues, but the after-image of those glorious strings lingers through the rest of the franchise.
—Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Workers move between ladders while fresh paint lingers in the air, the space caught somewhere between warehouse and destination.
—Holly Alvarado, Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
No screens, no distractions—only the kind of presence that lingers long after the vows are spoken.
—Nikita Khanna, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2026
Measles also lingers in rooms longer than many other diseases, Weber added.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
What lingers is that image of Powell in the beanie.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
In Norway’s northernmost reaches, where winter lingers for months beneath a veil of polar darkness and the sea governs every decision, lies Båtsfjord, a fishing village where cod assumes greater significance than God.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
The quarterly surveys by the nonprofit Department of Angels give a limited view of the housing instability that still lingers a year after the fire.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
That grandiosity simmers down into terrifying chase soundtracks and menacing hunter's heartbeats as the movie continues, but the after-image of those glorious strings lingers through the rest of the franchise.
—Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Workers move between ladders while fresh paint lingers in the air, the space caught somewhere between warehouse and destination.
—Holly Alvarado, Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
No screens, no distractions—only the kind of presence that lingers long after the vows are spoken.
—Nikita Khanna, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2026
Measles also lingers in rooms longer than many other diseases, Weber added.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lingers
Verb
-
As the crisis drags on, life is slowly grinding to a halt across this island of nearly 10 million people.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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Airlines and travel trade groups say the funding lapse is raising concerns about staffing levels at security checkpoints and the risk of operational disruptions if the shutdown drags on, as roughly 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers work without pay.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This mistake not only holds up your travel plans, but also delays passengers behind you as TSA officers search through your carry-on.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Feb. 2026
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Under state law, there is a 14-day pre-eviction notice required for nonpayment of rent, which delays the impact.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As with aftermarket switchable sway bar systems, drivers can lock the sway bars in place for better handling and stability at speed and unlock them completely for maximum articulation during bumpy rock crawls.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Ma crawls toward you and plants her palms on your cheeks.—
Molly Aitken,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Amazon also strikes a nerve with an ad starring Chris Hemsworth that pokes fun of people’s fears of AI.—
Dee-Ann Durbin,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Cucurella lands on the rebound and pokes in.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lingers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lingers. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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