cling
1to adhere closely; stick to: The wet paper clings to the glass.
to hold tight, as by grasping or embracing; cleave: The children clung to each other in the dark.
to be or remain close: The child clung to her mother's side.
to remain attached, as to an idea, hope, memory, etc.: Despite the predictions, the candidate clung to the belief that he would be elected.
to cohere.
the act of clinging; adherence; attachment.
Origin of cling
1Other words for cling
Other words from cling
- clinger, noun
- cling·ing·ly, adverb
- cling·ing·ness, noun
- un·cling·ing, adjective
Words Nearby cling
Other definitions for cling (2 of 2)
a clingstone.
Origin of cling
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use cling in a sentence
But the fact of the matter is the equal protection they cling to is not the reality.
What Would Happen if I Got in White Cop’s Face? | Goldie Taylor | December 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTYet instead of disbelieving that the facts will set us free, we cling to them as if they were spoils of war.
Democrats cling to only to handful of redoubts, often districts gerrymandered by Republican legislatures to be majority black.
Without Dawn and her desperate need to cling to power, the evil place falls apart.
The Walking Dead’s Midseason Finale Shocker: A Cherished Character Meets a Grisly End | Melissa Leon | December 1, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe sharply tailored blazer and weighty jewelry that cling to her body hints at the dominant personality she possesses.
Life is represented as struggling to free herself from the gross earthly forms that cling to her.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D. | Clara Erskine ClementIt is wonderful how long a withered leaf will sometimes cling to its branch.
These had a ghostly effect on Yung Pak, and made him cling closely to the side of his tutor.
Our Little Korean Cousin | H. Lee M. PikeEven when the new have been adopted we very often find that something of the ancient and discarded notions cling in our phrases.
Outlines of the Earth's History | Nathaniel Southgate ShalerWe occupy too wide an extent of country: we exhaust our resources without profit and without necessity: we cling to dreams.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-Pattison
British Dictionary definitions for cling
/ (klɪŋ) /
(often foll by to) to hold fast or adhere closely (to something), as by gripping or sticking
(foll by together) to remain in contact (with each other)
to be or remain physically or emotionally close: to cling to outmoded beliefs
agriculture, mainly US the tendency of cotton fibres in a sample to stick to each other
agriculture obsolete diarrhoea or scouring in animals
short for clingstone
Origin of cling
1Derived forms of cling
- clinging, adjective
- clinger, noun
- clingingly, adverb
- clingy, adjective
- clinginess or clingingness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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