1
as in keeps (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 clutches
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 clings (to)
Verb
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Martin Short clutches his laptop walking onto set for Jimmy Kimmel Live!—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
26 Jan. 2026 -
Mispelys Salazar clutches a stack of papers close to her chest as bristling wind gusts threaten to send them flying into the air.—
Catherine E. Shoichet,
CNN Money,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The community held a candlelight vigil to pray for Nancy Guthrie's safe return as the baffling case grips the nation.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
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When cold weather grips the South for days on end, the thought of a humid summer gets better and better.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As the comedy progresses, its buoyant tone clenches and darkens, and the plot bends and lurches, in ways that, to me, felt unnecessarily punitive toward both Haru and the audience.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
-
As the infection takes hold, a patient’s jaw clenches, forcing the face into what appears to be a wide smile, and the back muscles contort into a painful arch.—
Mustafa Fattah,
NBC news,
24 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Walter stands by his pledge, Dodgers president Stan Kasten said.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Daisy stands by, literally helpless.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Malinin holds just more than a five-point lead over his biggest rival, Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, with scores from both the short program and free skate added together to determine a winner.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
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According to chief customer officer Brie Carere, FedEx currently holds a 12 percent share in the $22 billion premium air freight market.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Soon thereafter, a gear fishing pal of yours gifted you an old, unused fly rod, and that totally grabs a hold of you and completely directs the rest of your life.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
11 Feb. 2026
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The man grabs her and also takes her cell phone.—
Jermont Terry,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Continue reading … JUDGE ON TRIAL — Supreme Court justice defends Grammys attendance as senator calls for investigation.—
,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots throws a pass while Devon Witherspoon of the Seattle Seahawks defends.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Clings (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clings%20%28to%29. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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