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Recent Examples of clinging
Many Democrats, spooked by the prospect of their party being frozen out in June’s top-two primary, have been clinging to their ballots, intending to vote at the last moment for whichever Democrat appears likeliest to finish first.
—
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
Staff members noticed immediately the two dogs clinging to each other.
—Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Only Friduss and her mother, who was rescued clinging to a life preserver, survived when the boat soon afterward capsized and threw its ten occupants into the lake.
—Sacbee.com, 14 May 2026
Farah once had 680 goats, but a lack of food and water as well as diseases exacerbated by drought have claimed all but 110 of them, barely clinging to life.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
And smoothness matters because the thin boundary layer of air clinging to the ball determines where the flow separates, how large a wake forms, and how much drag the ball experiences.
—John Eric Goff, The Conversation, 13 May 2026
Villa are clinging onto Champions League qualification through the league.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Like all relationships, the one between writer and reader is changeable—and probably most writers cycle among attitudes rather than clinging to any single one.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
Among those who showed up that morning were a woman who had come with her elderly father, a young Native American couple, a man in an addiction recovery program and a mother with a toddler clinging to her leg.
—Shannon Pettypiece, NBC news, 11 May 2026
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
Staff members noticed immediately the two dogs clinging to each other.
—Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Only Friduss and her mother, who was rescued clinging to a life preserver, survived when the boat soon afterward capsized and threw its ten occupants into the lake.
—Sacbee.com, 14 May 2026
Farah once had 680 goats, but a lack of food and water as well as diseases exacerbated by drought have claimed all but 110 of them, barely clinging to life.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
And smoothness matters because the thin boundary layer of air clinging to the ball determines where the flow separates, how large a wake forms, and how much drag the ball experiences.
—John Eric Goff, The Conversation, 13 May 2026
Villa are clinging onto Champions League qualification through the league.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Like all relationships, the one between writer and reader is changeable—and probably most writers cycle among attitudes rather than clinging to any single one.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
Among those who showed up that morning were a woman who had come with her elderly father, a young Native American couple, a man in an addiction recovery program and a mother with a toddler clinging to her leg.
—Shannon Pettypiece, NBC news, 11 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinging
Verb
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That rules out Virginia shifting its map to better favor Democrats in the upcoming midterms, Green said, but doesn’t bar them from starting the process over, adhering more closely to the rules, and changing the lines for future races.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
Harding’s caucus often has chastised Democrats for not adhering strictly to state budget limitations.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Return to a boil, gently stirring the gnocchi to prevent sticking.—
Kate Williams,
AJC.com,
18 May 2026
-
Still, after sticking Annie so deeply in the psychological trenches, gesturing to the light at the end of the tunnel is also welcome.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Variety,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clinging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinging. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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