1
as in to wait
to continue to be in a place for a significant amount of time
upon seeing the sun beginning to sink in the sky, we realized we had tarried too long on the summit of the mountain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to linger
to move or act slowly
the dean tarried in making his decision, still not sure if he should suspend the student or not
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to stay
to reside as a temporary guest
he tarried with us all summer, sleeping on the screened-in porch most nights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tarry
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Read More: 10 New Year's Traditions From Across the Globe
There was still much reason to pray after Jan. 1, 1863, and so tarrying in prayer on New Year’s Eve became an annual tradition.
—Nyya Toussaint / Made By History, TIME, 31 Dec. 2024
Esther Mobley, SFChronicle.com, 1 Sep. 2020
Ingestion of sago palm leaves, seeds or other plant parts causes liver failure, usually signaled by drooling, vomiting, diarrhea or a tarry black stool, depression, appetite loss, abdominal pain, lethargy and jaundice.
—Kim Campbell Thornton, sacbee, 14 Mar. 2018
See All Example Sentences for tarry
Verb
America grew up with these boys and tarried with them through light and dark times.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Read More: 10 New Year's Traditions From Across the Globe
There was still much reason to pray after Jan. 1, 1863, and so tarrying in prayer on New Year’s Eve became an annual tradition.
—Nyya Toussaint / Made By History, TIME, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Often, Petite Sirah produces a wine that is too tarry, too dense, too chewy.
—Esther Mobley, SFChronicle.com, 1 Sep. 2020
Ingestion of sago palm leaves, seeds or other plant parts causes liver failure, usually signaled by drooling, vomiting, diarrhea or a tarry black stool, depression, appetite loss, abdominal pain, lethargy and jaundice.
—Kim Campbell Thornton, sacbee, 14 Mar. 2018
See All Example Sentences for tarry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarry
Noun
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During a visit to France in November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took time off from diplomacy to thank a group of French fishermen who are collecting old nets from deep-sea vessels fishing for tuna and other species.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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Concertgoers at the United Center should instead stick to sugary, spiked beverages loaded with hard liquor, because those are well known to settle the stomach, quiet the masses and minimize hospital visits.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The groups would then open the hood or door of the machines and wait to determine whether an alarm or a law enforcement response had been triggered.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Interconnection queues have swelled to historic levels, with gigawatts of ready-to-build generation projects waiting years for grid connection studies and upgrades.—
Jon Markman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Multiple royal watchers have claimed the prince has struggled to move beyond the fallout of his dramatic exit from royal life six years ago, citing professional setbacks and lingering personal tensions.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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This lingering becomes the sound of a book in a new room, opening, its music carried in a wind that crosses borders.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Add these to your piles this February, and stay safe!—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
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With so many options, consider this your beginner’s guide to where to stay, eat, and play on this luxurious island.—
Molly Barstein,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Curtis said Gulf Coast refineries are already equipped to handle the viscous Venezuelan oil since those refineries were built to process similar grades of oil from Canada and Mexico.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Jan. 2026
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Nikola Tesla’s bladeless turbine design relies on viscous drag rather than traditional blades to generate rotational motion.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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However, public opinion polling shows support for Alberta independence remains relatively low.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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How to play Over the longer term, Standard Chartered’s Gill said the bank remains bullish on gold and maintains an overweight position relative to a neutral portfolio allocation.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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His transfer to the VA psychiatric facility was delayed until December because Taras’ arrest on federal charges halted proceedings in a state court plea agreement that would have allowed him to be admitted sooner.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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The game was delayed by Ridgewood’s buses arriving late due to heavy lake affect snow closer to the city, making for a long day.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Texture Many Asian cuisines celebrate the gelatinous texture of konjac noodles, but most Westerners are not used to this texture.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
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The gelatinous blob uses a hood surrounding its head to catch prey and has detachable tentacles; its hood and tail are decorated with glowing blue-green dots.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
25 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tarry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarry. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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