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
Relevance
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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinging (to)
Verb
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Protect against teeth grinding, clenching and enamel damage with custom dental solutions from ClearClub.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026 -
Melvin Council stood amid a crowd of his Kansas teammates, clenching a black belt in his fist.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Dozens of women in hijabs and men in clutching paper cups stood inside Turath Coffee, 9916 College Blvd.—
Jenna Thompson
April 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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After a January morning skate at the San Jose Sharks practice facility, dozens of bustling young fans — clutching hockey cards, action shots, team jerseys and hats — crowded near an exit, hoping for a brief interaction.—
Dan Robson,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The audio tour, narrated by former guards and inmates, is genuinely gripping for older kids.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
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When Georgia Tech baseball coach James Ramsey came to watch Vahn Lackey play as a senior at Collins Hill, Lackey wasn’t gripping the bat correctly.—
Sarah Spencer,
AJC.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Pottery Barn is standing by to support your soft life.—
Emily Menez,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
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An ambulance and paramedics were also standing by at the hotel.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Surveillance footage showed Angel-Martinez, Castillo and Pineda getting out of their vehicle wearing masks and holding guns, according to court documents.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
4 Apr. 2026
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The Huskies were also dominated on the glass, with South Carolina holding a 47-32 advantage.—
David Brandt,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Kyla Oldacre led Texas with 11 points off the bench while grabbing seven rebounds.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
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The victim listed in the police records later told police about two incidents of physical assault, including grabbing, scratching, shoving and striking, according to the documents.—
Meriam Bouarrouj,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Keller stymies defending champ Coppell Claire Garritson scored the game-winning goal in the second half and Keller hung on to beat defending state champion Coppell 2-1 in the Class 6A Division 1 Region 1 Final on Tuesday night at Keller High School.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
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During the 2002 World Cup, fans across Africa celebrated Senegal’s upset victory over defending champion France, its former colonizer, as a symbol of liberation.—
Albert Samaha,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
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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 6 Apr. 2026.
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