as in drags
to move or act slowly
since they were charging by the hour, the house painters lingered in finishing up their work
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Recent Examples of lingers
In the premiere, Aunt Lydia’s promise lingers over Offred’s head like the blade of a guillotine.
—
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
Thus, the question lingers—If removing Steve Bannon from the CPAC speaker lineup results in getting AT&T as an event sponsor instead of Patriot Mobile, is that a win or a loss for MAGA?
—Alex J. Rouhandeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images LONDON — European stocks were volatile in early trading on Tuesday and were on course to round-off their worst monthly performance in six years, as uncertainty over the trajectory of the Iran war lingers.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Sunbeds and towels jostle for space like life-size Tetris pieces on the volcanic slate-gray sands of Lemesos's Dasoudi beach; farther along the coast, Malindi, a beach bar and restaurant, attracts a lunchtime crowd that lingers long after the sun has set.
—Selina Denman, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
What lingers after leaving the exhibition is not a single image, but a state of mind.
—Olga Garcia-Mayoral, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
While fans only caught a quick glimpse of Carla — who is said to be picking up extra shifts elsewhere — her name lingers in the script.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
The mop pads feature hundreds of scrubbing strips that can absorb even the most stubborn messes, while the cleaning solution has a fresh scent that lingers for hours.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
The finish is where this bourbon lingers most memorably.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2026
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
Thus, the question lingers—If removing Steve Bannon from the CPAC speaker lineup results in getting AT&T as an event sponsor instead of Patriot Mobile, is that a win or a loss for MAGA?
—Alex J. Rouhandeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images LONDON — European stocks were volatile in early trading on Tuesday and were on course to round-off their worst monthly performance in six years, as uncertainty over the trajectory of the Iran war lingers.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Sunbeds and towels jostle for space like life-size Tetris pieces on the volcanic slate-gray sands of Lemesos's Dasoudi beach; farther along the coast, Malindi, a beach bar and restaurant, attracts a lunchtime crowd that lingers long after the sun has set.
—Selina Denman, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
What lingers after leaving the exhibition is not a single image, but a state of mind.
—Olga Garcia-Mayoral, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
While fans only caught a quick glimpse of Carla — who is said to be picking up extra shifts elsewhere — her name lingers in the script.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
The mop pads feature hundreds of scrubbing strips that can absorb even the most stubborn messes, while the cleaning solution has a fresh scent that lingers for hours.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
The finish is where this bourbon lingers most memorably.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lingers
Verb
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As the war drags on, Americans are growing pessimistic about the economy, according to some surveys and polls.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
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And in late February, just as attention began to shift away from Gaza, Israel and the United States launched a joint attack on Iran—a potentially epochal war that may end up dividing Jewish Americans no less than the Gaza war did, particularly if the conflict drags on and casualties mount.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That delays emptying of the stomach.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
27 Mar. 2026
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But having firefighters wait before starting preparations also delays when they can be dispatched to emergencies, which has lengthened response times — and has likely cost many lives across the city, the 60-page audit says.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the book, Grace drags Rocky back to his part of the ship, exposing himself to the Eridian environment; in the film, Rocky crawls back while Grace is unconscious.—
Matthew Razak,
Space.com,
23 Mar. 2026
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The Shops at Yale recently announced the return of the New Haven food crawls and have added a date in December, according to a statement.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Your 6th House of Health takes focus with the nurturing Moon there, though Luna also pokes expensive Jupiter in your 3rd House of Distractions.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
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In April, ruby-red paintbrush pokes out of the ground, and in late summer, vibrant yellow rabbitbrush flowers join the mix.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lingers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lingers. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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