1
as in keeps (to)
to give steadfast support to
continued to cling to the old ideas of child rearing long after they had gone out of fashion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clutches
to have or keep in one's hands
clung to a pole in the subway car to keep from falling as it lurched along
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clings (to)
Verb
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Lemann, like the talkative older ladies of her youth, clutches the motifs of her past like talismans.—
Brandy Jensen,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026 -
Martin Short clutches his laptop walking onto set for Jimmy Kimmel Live!—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In one example, the robot grips a can sideways, a simple mistake that could lead to spills, showing that human-like understanding remains limited.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Fast forward to today and those fears have materialized with dizzying speed as a historic oil and gas crisis sparked by the US and Israel’s war with Iran grips the world.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the comedy progresses, its buoyant tone clenches and darkens, and the plot bends and lurches, in ways that, to me, felt unnecessarily punitive toward both Haru and the audience.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
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As the infection takes hold, a patient’s jaw clenches, forcing the face into what appears to be a wide smile, and the back muscles contort into a painful arch.—
Mustafa Fattah,
NBC news,
24 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Dickinson was surprised to hear it multiple times, but stands by the sentiment.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
29 Apr. 2026
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Her very reliable and efficient assistant Eunice (Seoyeon Jang) stands by her side but curries the jealous attention of unstable Ashley.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Unlike most other races on the ballot, the June 2 election is not a primary and will determine who holds the board seat through June 2030.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
1 May 2026
-
Forecasters aren't sure what the future holds.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Kurt's key takeaways The skating is what grabs you first.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
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This evergreen, perennial vine grabs the attention of those looking for an ornamental groundcover.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Founded in 1922, PEN America is a writers’ and free-expression advocacy group that defends the rights of authors and opposes censorship.—
Grace Gilson,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
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The Economist defends its policy of not using bylines as tradition, citing the fact many of their articles are the product of collaborations between writers and taking the Ochsian view that what is written is more important than who writes it.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Clings (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clings%20%28to%29. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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