cling

1 of 2

verb

clung ˈkləŋ How to pronounce cling (audio) ; clinging

intransitive verb

1
a
: to hold together
b
: to adhere as if glued firmly
The shirt clung to his wet shoulders.
c
: to hold or hold on tightly or tenaciously
The kitten clung to the narrow branch.
2
a
: to have a strong emotional attachment or dependence
he clung to his friends for support
b
: to remain or linger as if resisting complete spreading or scattering
The odor clung to the room for hours.
clinger noun

cling

2 of 2

noun

plural clings
1
: an act or instance of clinging : adherence
2
3
: a sheet of material (such as plastic or vinyl) designed to adhere to a flat surface by static electricity and often printed with an image or message
When it's time for a new look, simply peel off the clings and store them away for another day.Lorna Hordos
Choose the Right Synonym for cling

stick, adhere, cohere, cling, cleave mean to become closely attached.

stick implies attachment by affixing or by being glued together.

couldn't get the label to stick

adhere is often interchangeable with stick but sometimes implies a growing together.

antibodies adhering to a virus

cohere suggests a sticking together of parts so that they form a unified mass.

eggs will make the mixture cohere

cling implies attachment by hanging on with arms or tendrils.

clinging to a capsized boat

cleave stresses strength of attachment.

the wet shirt cleaved to his back

Examples of cling in a Sentence

Verb The children clung together under the little umbrella waiting for the storm to pass. a dozen magnets clinging to the refrigerator Noun for certain types of materials that plastic wrap has very little cling
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Not having a strong central character sets the series adrift with nothing for the audience to cling to. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 More:Holy Cross residents cling to hope despite closure of neighborhood's namesake church Neighborhood fears demolition The Holy Cross Neighborhood Association has circulated an online petition against any possible demolition plans. Rory Appleton, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Mar. 2024 Mind you, Schwarzenegger did not pilot a jet over downtown Miami while the actress playing his daughter clung to the cockpit. Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024 Emily Ratajkowski Makes Light of 'Bimbo Allegations' with Racy New Instagram Photos The actress' gown featured a square front that barely clung onto her petite frame and a back with a sheer train. Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Of course, clinging to a four-point lead in double overtime against UCLA in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament, JuJu Watkins would have the ball in her hands. Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 As everyone knows, the dictatorship is totally clinging to power. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 Speaking of keepsakes, though, Vogue couldn’t resist asking O’Hara about the other staples in her wardrobe that the star has clung onto over the years. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2024 The sycamore tree at Gulley Park was chosen by the city's Urban Forestry staff and the Urban Forestry Advisory Board due to its size, location and roots clinging to the stream bank. Nwa Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 13 Mar. 2024
Noun
And in a documentary film about his role in helping Mr. Trump remain in power after losing the 2020 election, Mr. Stone was caught on camera laying out plans to create and exploit uncertainty about the election results to help Mr. Trump cling to power. Luke Broadwater, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2024 Businesses listed on the registry will also get official branding in the form of window clings and promotion on official city websites, such as on an online registry. Frank Shyong, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2023 This window cling set comes with six sheets featuring maple leaves and pine cones. Erica Reagle, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 2023 In the world of window clings, this one has a leg up on the rest. Sarah Wolf Halverson, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2023 To deactivate the cling, swipe a dryer sheet on the problem surface areas. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2023 The palace and the military cling to each other ever more tightly and rule ever less competently, a political alliance in obvious decline but incapable of either retreat or reform. Andrew J. Nathan, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2021 The materials include posters, window clings, magnets, social media graphics and logos, and a pre-arrival letter disseminated to rental agencies. John Sharp | Jsharp@al.com, al, 15 July 2023 With the feature, shoppers can see how an item would drape, fold, cling, stretch or form wrinkles and shadows on a diverse set of models in various poses, according to the company. Samantha Kelly, CNN, 14 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Old English clingan; akin to Old High German klunga tangled ball of thread

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

circa 1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cling was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cling

Cite this Entry

“Cling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cling. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cling

verb
ˈkliŋ
clung
ˈkləŋ
; clinging
ˈkliŋ-iŋ
1
: to stick to as if glued
2
: to hold or hold on tightly
clung desperately to the ladder
3
: to remain close : be dependent
clings to the family

More from Merriam-Webster on cling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!