as in residual
still existing or happening after something is completed or removed
The area is still feeling the lingering effects of the hurricane. There are lingering questions about the extent of his involvement in the crime.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
since they were charging by the hour, the house painters lingered in finishing up their work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lingering
C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
On the one hand, that means that many survive the disease without serious lingering effects.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
The two men dined at a table alone, lingering long after all other diners had dispersed.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Maybe things didn’t go as planned or maybe there’s no clear reason at all, just a lingering unsettling feeling.
—Barton Goldsmith, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Rooms are generous in size and designed for lingering and lounging.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Meta is lingering around the 150-day moving average, and, having recently fallen below it, this reversion may be a head fake.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Point’s knee injury, which knocked him out of the Olympics, can’t be discounted as a lingering factor.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Gamaly Hollis, who served nearly a year in jail for violating a judge’s order to stay away from the Miami-Dade police officer who shot and killed her son, has been cleared of lingering charges that could have sent her back to jail.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
This visit comes at a low point in the relationship between the two allies, including disputes over the war in Iran and lingering controversy surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Thomas missed 57 games last season, mostly because of the same lingering left hamstring issue.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
On the one hand, that means that many survive the disease without serious lingering effects.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Verb
While coverage is expected to be more scattered, isolated strong to severe storms could still produce hail and gusty winds, particularly where daytime heating and lingering boundaries overlap.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
The two men dined at a table alone, lingering long after all other diners had dispersed.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Maybe things didn’t go as planned or maybe there’s no clear reason at all, just a lingering unsettling feeling.
—Barton Goldsmith, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Rooms are generous in size and designed for lingering and lounging.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Meta is lingering around the 150-day moving average, and, having recently fallen below it, this reversion may be a head fake.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Point’s knee injury, which knocked him out of the Olympics, can’t be discounted as a lingering factor.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Gamaly Hollis, who served nearly a year in jail for violating a judge’s order to stay away from the Miami-Dade police officer who shot and killed her son, has been cleared of lingering charges that could have sent her back to jail.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
This visit comes at a low point in the relationship between the two allies, including disputes over the war in Iran and lingering controversy surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lingering
Adjective
-
When the permit was being considered and public comments expressed concern about how the facility would affect the environment, Kelly Keel, TCEQ’s executive director, said the wastewater wasn’t expected to contain any residual lithium, chemical runoff or other harmful pollutants.—
Arcelia Martin,
San Antonio Express-News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The union also moved the needle forward in a minor capacity on the residual and AI front, as well as minimum rate increases.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That is setting batteries up for a dual role as an enabler to putting more green energy on the grid and delaying the phase-out of fossil fuels.—
Mark Chediak,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was recently defeated in an election, had accused Ukraine of deliberately delaying repairs — an allegation that Zelenskyy denied.—
Karel Janicek,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The final Block Party was held in 2024, concluding an incredible run and leaving a lasting legacy in our community.—
Riley Moser,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Oil and gas markets — already in turmoil over the Strait of Hormuz closure — will likely face further and lasting disruptions in the months ahead, analysts warned.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sam instead proposes that the performer dance to it without music, a prompt that is followed by Anne Hathaway flinging herself across the room, dragging her body across the floor in a hypnotic spectacle that seems to convey struggle, possession, and loss of control.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Even the sleeker Samsonite Proxis feels substantial without dragging you over the limit.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Martha Stewart, however—perhaps the least likely superstar to do so—is poking holes in that fantasy, giving us an iconic new selfie that feels wildly relatable to anyone familiar with the mayhem of getting ready.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Paul, who co-created the Apple TV+ series and drew from season one for the musical’s script and score, performs a dexterous trick, poking fun at the form’s many ridiculous tropes with an unmistakably affectionate hand.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Police said Morgan was seen crawling under a partially open garage door before jumping into a backyard pool.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Footage shared by Sky News showed the animal crawling up onto the eatery's counter.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For another easy-to-care-for choice that relishes sunlight, look to creeping juniper and its beautifully hazy blue-green leaves.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
28 Apr. 2026
-
That dingy look creeping across the screens and settling on every surface?—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lingering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lingering. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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