cling (to)

verb

Definition of cling (to)next
1
as in to keep (to)
to give steadfast support to continued to cling to the old ideas of child rearing long after they had gone out of fashion

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grip
to have or keep in one's hands clung to a pole in the subway car to keep from falling as it lurched along

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cling (to)
  1. grip
  2. clutch
  3. clench
  4. defend
  5. hold
  6. grab
  7. stand by
Verb
  • The film's gripping plot centers around florist Lily Blossom Bloom (Lively), who falls head over heels in love with a seemingly perfect neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni) and reconnects with her childhood sweetheart, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar).
    Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 22 Dec. 2024
  • Amanda Seyfried will star in the series which follows a beat cop working as the opioid crisis grips the streets of Philadelphia.
    Lucy Ford, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024
Definition of grip
Verb
  • At 3:08 of the second period, Tampa Bay’s Conor Geekie slammed into Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro with a knee-on-knee hit that led to Fabbro’s writhing on the ice, clutching his right knee.
    Aaron Portzline, The Athletic, 18 Dec. 2024
  • Lansbury became a household name thanks to her portrayal of an unusual gumshoe, often in perilous situations but always polite and clutching a sensible handbag.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of clutch
Verb
  • That’s why Taiwan is buckling up for what could be a far more volatile relationship with Washington, its most important security guarantor, now that Trump has clenched a historic political comeback.
    Wayne Chang, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
  • Dry mouth Teeth clenching or grinding (bruxism) Mouth infections Nutritional deficiencies Taking medications, including blood pressure medications Diabetes can also cause BMS, although in that cause the burning is considered to be a type of diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage from diabetes).
    Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 2 Oct. 2024
Definition of clench
Verb
  • Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government, defended the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers.
    Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2024
  • Erivo recently defended the decision to split the musical into two parts in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2024
Definition of defend
Verb
  • As millions wait to learn what the future holds for Spears and her career, one of her oldest tracks has become a hit again.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
  • Sharpton held rallies for Harris three days after his interview with the vice president aired.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024
Definition of hold
Verb
  • When the clock strikes midnight, grab one of these eight crackers and pop it to show your excitement for the start of 2025.
    Christopher Murray, Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024
  • So grab another beer from your golf bag en route to the 19th hole and have a look at the Happy Gilmore 2 teaser below.
    Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 25 Dec. 2024
Definition of grab
Verb
  • Despite the former couple calling off their engagement in October, Kravitz, who met Tatum after casting him as the villainous Slater, stands by her decision.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Still, the firm is stand by its 7,000 target for the S & P 500 in 2025, which would translate in to a 19% rally from Wednesday’s close of 5,872.16.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 19 Dec. 2024
Definition of stand by
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near cling (to)

clings (to)

cling (to)

clingy

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Cling (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cling%20%28to%29. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

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