cling
verb (used without object)
to adhere closely; stick to.
have clung
-
present perfectof cling.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
Given the recent interest-rate and stock market volatility, it isn’t surprising that investors have clung to the safety of money-market funds.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
They have clung to their hunting-and-gathering ways longer than most.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026
From what we see of Scotty in flashbacks, he was a buoyant blond goofball — exactly the kind of guy that the apparently friendless and family-less Kenna would have clung to like a life preserver.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2026
She was said to have "clung to life in hospital and had grown to be a healthy little girl", a statement from the Devine family read.
From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2025
Of course I could whomp up a medium storm or a small earthquake in good taste and proper proportion, but in this account I have clung tenaciously, perhaps foolishly, to the truth.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
