clingy

adjective

ˈkliŋ-ē 

clingier; clingiest

: having the quality of clinging to someone or something: such as

a

: tending to adhere to a surface upon contact

a clingy plastic wrap

clingy fabrics/clothes

In her clingiest [=tightest-fitting] dress she swings into town and soon has the men howling.

—Peter Travers

b

: tending to stay very close to someone (such as a parent) for emotional support, protection, etc.

a clingy child

Some kids act out or become whiny to get a parent's attention; others become clingy or fearful.

—Leah Hennen

clinginess noun

disliked the fabric's clinginess

Any number of women I interviewed cited clinginess in a boyfriend as a major deal breaker.

—Liza Mundy

Synonyms

• adherent
• adhesive
• gluey
• glutinous
• gummy
• sticky
• tacky
• tenacious
• viscid

Examples of clingy in a Sentence

it took forever to clean up the clingy Styrofoam pellets that had been used as packing material for the lamp

Recent Examples on the Web

Chemicals in food packaging Food sold in plastic pouches and clingy wraps could be tainted by yet more endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA, phthalates, bisphenols, and PFAS. —Matt Fuchs, Time, 27 Mar. 2025

Punkin is the clingy one—protective and unmistakably a mama's girl. —Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025

Dressed by her regular collaborator Azzedine Alaïa in a series of clingy, hooded ensembles, the legendary model-musician looked unlike any Bond girl that came before her, but spoke to the spirit of her era perhaps better than any other had. —EW.com, 23 Mar. 2025

The film offers glimpses of some old Mickeys – Nos. 12 through 16 die in vaccine trials during a zippy montage ― while others are mentioned in passing: No. 6 is the annoying and clingy one. —Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1702, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for clingy

• dinghy
• springy
• stringy