linger
Americanverb (used without object)
-
lingers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
lingered,
past participle, past
-
lingering
present participle
-
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.
-
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)
-
lingers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
lingered,
past participle, past
-
lingering
present participle
-
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
-
to be slow to act; dither; procrastinate
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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lingerernoun
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outlingerverb (used with object)
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overlingerverb (used without object)
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lingeringadjective
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unlingeringadjective
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lingeringlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
lingersimple
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lingerssimple
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have lingeredperfect
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has lingeredperfect
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am lingeringprogressive
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are lingeringprogressive
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is lingeringprogressive
-
have been lingeringperfect progressive
-
has been lingeringperfect progressive
Past
-
lingeredsimple
-
had lingeredperfect
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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.
See Examples For:
But just the fact that he requires a woman to linger around him all the time, ready to express her devotion and that of his most ardent followers, isn’t a great look.
From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026
Expedition leader Josy Cardoso expects the new boat to bring travelers closer to rays, and to let them linger with the animals longer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
So AI’s threat to jobs may be modest now, but it’s enough to linger in people’s minds.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
Uncertainty will also linger this week until a lockup period expires on Thursday, allowing a portion of SpaceX employees to sell their shares post-IPO.
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
The poets did not care to linger in that gloom-hidden abode.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
As attendees make their way out of the venue, excitement lingers through the air.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
The attack still lingers in metro Detroit’s close-knit Jewish community, which is centered on Moss’ congressional district.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
"But there's also a surprising amount of heart – of the warm, still-beating kind – as it lingers on the faces of its fallen," she said.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
His regret lingers alongside his grief, allowing the viewer to understand his complex feelings of remorse.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
A gray tinge lingers beneath her pink-white skin and more stubble dots along her chin.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
But the chemicals take a long time to break down and have lingered in the environment, particularly in landfill, where they can leach into waterways and then into the sea.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
One moment from Bottura’s episode has lingered most.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
But the trauma of the sudden influx lingered.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Most of those arrivals have been sent back to Morocco but crowds of the youngest ones lingered, saying they hoped to make it to mainland Europe.
From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026
The commanding officer dismissed us and I lingered outside of his door longer than I needed to, straightening and fiddling with my uniform.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
If you can’t fit on the one waiting in the docking area when you deplane, you’re stuck lingering for ages—a half hour or more, in some cases—until the next one arrives.
From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026
Although Ohtani hasn’t landed on the injured list for lingering inflammation and soreness in his left knee, he hasn’t pitched in a game since July 3.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
While the Midwest and Northeast will likely cool down in coming days, lingering heat across the south should support demand from power generators well into August, he adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Any lingering hope disappeared entirely a couple of balls later when Walter - who made 44 not out off 28 balls - twice hammered Abrar for six down the ground.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Though the lingering dust always made Ophie sneeze, there was something nice about having her own little hidey-hole at Daffodil Manor.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
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.
