cling
1 Americanverb (used without object)
-
to 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.
noun
noun
verb
-
(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
noun
-
agriculture the tendency of cotton fibres in a sample to stick to each other
-
obsolete agriculture diarrhoea or scouring in animals
-
short for clingstone
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
clingernoun
-
clinginessnoun
-
clingingnessnoun
-
clingingadjective
-
clingyadjective
-
unclingingadjective
-
clinginglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
clingsimple
-
clingssimple
-
have clungperfect
-
has clungperfect
-
am clingingprogressive
-
are clingingprogressive
-
is clingingprogressive
-
have been clingingperfect progressive
-
has been clingingperfect progressive
Past
-
clungsimple
-
had clungperfect
-
was clingingprogressive
-
were clingingprogressive
-
had been clingingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of cling1
First recorded before 900; Middle English clingen, Old English clingan “to stick together, shrink, wither”; akin to clench
Origin of cling2
1835–45; by shortening from clingstone, or special use of cling 1 (noun)
Explanation
To cling is to tightly grasp something or to stick closely to something, like how wet clothes cling to the wearer. Clinging has to do with closeness. A scared child will cling to his parent, holding on tight. People in love cling to one another in embraces. When you're on a roller coaster, it's best to cling to whatever restraint you can. Similarly, things cling to each other when they're hard to separate. Clothes fresh out of the dryer often cling to each other. Strands of cooked spaghetti cling to each other. Stretchy clothing like spandex clings to the bodies of the people who wear it.
Vocabulary lists containing cling
Unit 1: Telling Details
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Nehru's "Tryst with Destiny" Speech
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ship Breaker
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It is supplying the constitutional context and stripping away the pretense courts so often cling to when they want to stay out of the fray.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
But in Monday’s game, the Sparks could only cling to the game with clenched fists as the gap widened.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
If you’re a man on the internet in 2026, there’s a good chance you’ve been flooded with ads for ways to help you cling to your hair.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
He resigned immediately, without suggesting that he should cling to office as a “caretaker” while the new government got up and running.
From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026
“I have nothing I need to cling to,” the king said with surprising calmness.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
Natasha eventually took Shalom home but still clings to her faith that God will help her find a cure.
From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2026
It forgoes the sticky glaze in favor of a deep brown gravy that pools and clings.
From Salon ● Mar. 11, 2026
This water layer is only a few molecules thick, yet it clings to the nanopore surface and prevents ions from directly interacting with it.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 9, 2026
Tamma tiptoes “up climbs with body english and devious footwork”; she clings to fingerholds the size of molars; a fall sees her come “cheesegrating” down a slab.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
“Now I understand. She clings to you because you saved her from the Russian in the forest. You’re proof that there are still good men in the world.”
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
"I managed to find a wooden plank, which I clung to for two days and one night," Begum said, noting she eventually caught the attention of a passing rescue ship.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Tuchel kept experimenting on the fly and the Three Lions clung on until extra time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
“This woman clung to her baby, and said, ‘I just had this baby.
From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026
At first, the family clung to hope that there had been some mistake and that Suresh would be found alive.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
We cried then, and clung to one another in the dark of the garden.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
Rahela Begum survived the horrors of war in Myanmar and life in the world's largest refugee camp in Bangladesh -- only to end up drifting at sea, clinging to a wooden plank.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
"It's like you're clinging on, for dear life, onto the ball that is continuing to roll, and sort of cursing yourself and the world the entire time."
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
He’s made the mistake of coming home with the odor still clinging to his clothes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Despite all that, Bores, a former employee of surveillance tech giant Palantir, insists he’s not against A.I.—he’s just trying to make it work for those of us still stubbornly clinging to our carbon-based brains.
From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026
One holds a baby on her hip, and the other has a little boy of four or five clinging to her skirts.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
