linger
Americanverb (used without object)
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to remain or stay on in a place longer than is usual or expected, as if from reluctance to leave.
We lingered awhile after the party.
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to remain alive; continue or persist, although gradually dying, ceasing, disappearing, etc..
She lingered a few months after the heart attack. Such practices still linger among the older natives.
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to dwell in contemplation, thought, or enjoyment.
to linger over the beauty of a painting.
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to be tardy in action; delay; dawdle.
to linger in discharging one's duties.
- Synonyms:
- tarry
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to walk slowly; saunter along.
- Synonyms:
- loiter
verb (used with object)
-
to pass (time, life, etc.) in a leisurely or a tedious manner (usually followed by away orout ).
We lingered away the whole summer at the beach.
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Archaic. to draw out or protract.
verb
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to delay or prolong departure
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to go in a slow or leisurely manner; saunter
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to remain just alive for some time prior to death
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to persist or continue, esp in the mind
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to be slow to act; dither; procrastinate
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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lingersimple
-
lingerssimple
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have lingeredperfect
-
has lingeredperfect
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am lingeringprogressive
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are lingeringprogressive
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is lingeringprogressive
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have been lingeringperfect progressive
-
has been lingeringperfect progressive
Past
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lingeredsimple
-
had lingeredperfect
-
was lingeringprogressive
-
were lingeringprogressive
-
had been lingeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of linger
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English lengeren “to dwell, remain,” literally, “to delay repeatedly,” from lengen, Old English lengan “to delay, lengthen, prolong”; see long 1, -er 6
Explanation
When someone lingers, he or she takes an unexpectedly long time to depart, as Romeo lingers when bidding Juliet farewell (or as annoying houseguests almost always tend to do). In addition to its primary meaning of "taking a long time to depart," linger has the additional meaning of "persisting while gradually weakening." In this sense, linger can refer to feelings or sensations that slowly fade away, like the smell of perfume that lingers in an elevator after the passengers have exited.
Vocabulary lists containing linger
The Diary of Anne Frank
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List 5
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 12–15
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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.
Under a heat dome, those pollutants can linger longer, leading to elevated Air Quality Index, or AQI, readings that may pose additional risks for people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
From Salon • Jul. 3, 2026
McCaslin, a former defense lawyer who has been on the bench for six years, told the courtroom that she is known for not letting old cases linger, enforcing deadlines and maintaining order.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026
Those wins offset the impact of soaring oil prices and geopolitical tensions that continue to linger in the Persian Gulf.
From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026
Miguel said many customers are opting to grab their drinks and go rather than linger outside as smoke drifts through the neighborhood.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 21, 2026
Where the snake went you couldn’t see, and Charlie didn’t linger to find out.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
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.
