clinging (to)

verb

Definition of clinging (to)next
present participle of cling (to)
1
as in keeping (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 clenching
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 clinging (to)
  1. holding
  2. grabbing
  3. defending
Verb
  • So too will investments from women’s sports team owners like Michele Kang—who, in addition to holding ownership stakes in the NWSL’s Washington Spirit, pledged another $30 million towards developing women’s soccer in November.
    Maggie McGrath, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • This tool acts as a diagnostic framework to identify and address the constraints—both tangible and intangible—that may be holding the family business back.
    Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of holding
Verb
  • Corporate sustainability has emerged in recent years as a complex narrative of contrasting tempos—a story of rapid, headline-grabbing shifts intertwined with deep, fundamental transformations.
    Dr. Alex Gold, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
  • James finished the contest by scoring 16 points, grabbing four rebounds, and dishing out two assists.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
Definition of grabbing
Verb
  • As a response, NASCAR President Steve Phelps has taken a firm stand against the critics, defending the contentious system in an interview with Jordan Bianchi from The Athletic.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
  • The question of returning is also symbolic, a test of the Zionist ethos of defending borders through settlement.
    Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of defending
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 clinging (to)

clinging

clinging (to)

clings

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Cite this Entry

“Clinging (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinging%20%28to%29. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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