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
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
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
Liza Mundy
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
But even more remarkable were the clingy pantsuits in the same shade, mixed with white and red minidresses tied with equally bold red bowties.
—Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
All this comes out as Cynthia lets her clingy white colleague, Janine, accompany her.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
Jenner opted for all-black—a Kylie failsafe—wearing a black bra under a clingy cut-out dress with criss-cross straps on the front, paired with black stilettos, and a small bag leather bag.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2025
Dogs can exhibit one or more symptoms of grief, including withdrawal from people and pets, lack of appetite, lethargy, unusual aggression or destructive behaviors, searching for a companion dog, increased vocalization or becoming clingy.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clingy
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Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
All this comes out as Cynthia lets her clingy white colleague, Janine, accompany her.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
Jenner opted for all-black—a Kylie failsafe—wearing a black bra under a clingy cut-out dress with criss-cross straps on the front, paired with black stilettos, and a small bag leather bag.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2025
Dogs can exhibit one or more symptoms of grief, including withdrawal from people and pets, lack of appetite, lethargy, unusual aggression or destructive behaviors, searching for a companion dog, increased vocalization or becoming clingy.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clingy
Cite this Entry
“Clingy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clingy. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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