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
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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
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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
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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.
See Examples For:
The physical problems did continue to linger, but Djokovic perked up enough - seemingly helped by the cooler conditions under the roof - to create the only break points of a finely-poised second set.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
While several industry experts told MarketWatch that controversies over advertisements tend to fizzle out in the medium term, there’s always a chance that damage to its brand could linger.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
Temperatures will still linger above normal, and most heat advisories and warnings are in place through 8 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
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
Kermit liked to linger and talk the ear off of the poor person who answered the door.
From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm
For all the sore glutes and calves, what lingers most is the appeal of turning this into a weekend ritual.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 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
Even as yields climb and AI skepticism lingers, the bull market has a sturdy tailwind.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
He lingers a few feet away from me until Quinn screams, “Jonah! Free swim is over in forty-five minutes!”
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Both the biceps and knee injuries have lingered for months.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
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
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
Danny lingered in the map room as long as he could.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
He’s been dealing with lingering knee soreness and inflammation since at least mid-June, and his biceps issue has flared several times this season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
This lingering "memory" of obesity in helper T cells could interfere with normal immune functions.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026
When Shakeel holed out off Josh Tongue, any lingering doubts that England would not beat the fading light disappeared as Pakistan subsided to 194 all out.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
The side serving of jasmine rice and roti was the perfect antidote to the addictive lingering spice hit.
From Salon ● Aug. 30, 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.
