tarrying 1 of 2

adjective

as in lingering

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tarrying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of tarry
1
as in waiting
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delaying
to move or act slowly the dean tarried in making his decision, still not sure if he should suspend the student or not

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3
as in staying
to reside as a temporary guest he tarried with us all summer, sleeping on the screened-in porch most nights

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarrying
  1. lingering
  2. waiting
  3. delaying
  4. staying
  5. loitering
  6. remaining
  7. dragging
  8. visiting
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
Definition of lingering
Verb
  • While waiting to form the new government, the election winners have called on prosecutors and judges to start doing their jobs or step down.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Apparently, a man – and woman – gotta check election results while waiting and watching the three Jonases on stage.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of waiting
Verb
  • The Ukrainian leader had accused the Pentagon of delaying the delivery of the missiles that other countries have purchased for Ukraine.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Opaque foam boards covered the windows, blocking sightlines and delaying evacuation.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of delaying
Verb
  • Green-Hornes said staying focused can sometimes be difficult.
    — Donald Fountain, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
  • For these artists, staying true to their Puerto Rican identity is still paramount.
    — Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of staying
Adjective
  • Some victim advocates say human trafficking along Figueroa has escalated since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rollback of anti-loitering laws.
    — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of loitering
Verb
  • Rarely does a pop album so deftly lay bare the trickery of pop albums, while remaining a compelling pop album in its own right.
    — Samuel Hyland, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The lawyers also raised the possibility of seeking dismissal of the remaining charge on double jeopardy grounds, arguing that the earlier acquittal could legally bar a second trial on certain issues.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of remaining
Verb
  • Most damage to the undersea cables that form the Internet’s backbone is the result of accidents involving bottom-trawling fishing nets and ship anchors dragging on the seabed, with storms and undersea landslides also factoring in.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 28 Oct. 2026
  • There’s nothing neutral about dragging your feet, and a rigorous investigation of crimes is the only job of the Justice Department.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of dragging
Verb
  • Lionel Messi scored his MLS-leading 26th goal in the 83rd minute to lift visiting Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over the New England Revolution on Sunday night that has major playoff seeding implications.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026
  • This week, with Bill Belichick’s North Carolina Tar Heels visiting Rentschler Field for a Noon kickoff on Saturday, will be an entirely different game plan.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of visiting
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

tarry (in)
tarrying
tarrying (in)
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Cite this Entry

“Tarrying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarrying. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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