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
  • Shakespeare, affectionately known as ‘Two Balls Shakey’ because of his penchant for holding a ball under each arm in training and during warm-up drills, contributed hugely to two promotions from League One in 2009 and the Championship in 2014, the great escape of 2015 and the 5000-1 title success.
    Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Waterproof mascaras rely on film-forming copolymers, which help with flexibility, holding the eyelash's curl, and boosting temperature resistance.
    Sarah Han, Allure, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of holding
Verb
  • Edwards delivered in a big way, scoring a career-high 53 points, hitting 10 3-pointers and grabbing six rebounds.
    Jon Krawczynski, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
  • But those are just two headline-grabbing crimes.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2025
Definition of grabbing
Verb
  • As things stand, that would be enough via the present UEFA coefficient to secure Champions League football for 2025-26, but Newcastle are looking up and hunting down those above them rather than merely defending their own position.
    Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
  • Police outside the building are focused on defending one of the West front's main entrances, now known as the tunnel.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2025
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 21 Jan. 2025.

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