lingered; lingering
ˈliŋ-g(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to be slow in parting or in quitting something : tarry
fans lingered outside the door
2
a
: to remain existent although often waning in strength, importance, or influence
lingering doubts
lingering odors
b
: to remain alive although gradually dying
was seriously ill, but lingered on for several months
3
: to be slow to act : procrastinate
He lingered in settling the estate in order to increase his fees.
4
: to move slowly : saunter
lingering homeward
Synonyms
Examples of linger in a Sentence
The tourists didn't linger very long.
She lingered at the art exhibit.
He lingered in bed and missed breakfast.
They lingered over coffee after dinner.
The heat lingered long after the sun had gone down.
The smell of her perfume lingered.
The idea lingered in their minds.
Recent Examples on the Web
Perhaps the Army should have left the crater intact, so that more explicit evidence of the Trinity test, and its terrible power, would linger in the ground, just in case.
—
Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 24 Oct. 2024
The camera lingers on the girl’s face before showing her photograph taped to a wall next to pictures of other kids in a dark, dingy-looking room where a laptop — apparently belonging to a child predator — has the same chat open.
—Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024
Like clockwork, the adults grab their seat and linger around a dinner table, a fire pit, or la sala to enjoy the sobremesa hasta que el cuerpo aguante.
—Jasmin Velasco, refinery29.com, 22 Oct. 2024
Pain may linger for a couple of days after the stone has passed.14
If the stone becomes lodged in the urethra, it can often be dislodged by waiting five to 10 minutes and bearing down hard while urinating.
—Jay N. Yepuri, Verywell Health, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for linger 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 24 Oct. 2024
The camera lingers on the girl’s face before showing her photograph taped to a wall next to pictures of other kids in a dark, dingy-looking room where a laptop — apparently belonging to a child predator — has the same chat open.
—Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024
Like clockwork, the adults grab their seat and linger around a dinner table, a fire pit, or la sala to enjoy the sobremesa hasta que el cuerpo aguante.
—Jasmin Velasco, refinery29.com, 22 Oct. 2024
Pain may linger for a couple of days after the stone has passed.14
If the stone becomes lodged in the urethra, it can often be dislodged by waiting five to 10 minutes and bearing down hard while urinating.
—Jay N. Yepuri, Verywell Health, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for linger
Dictionary Entries Near linger
Cite this Entry
“Linger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/linger. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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