CLUNG Synonyms: 14 Similar and Opposite Words

clung

verb

Definition of clung

past tense of cling

as in adhered

to hold to something firmly as if by adhesion a dozen magnets clinging to the refrigerator

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of clung The Roadster clung to the surface, hanging upside-down from the ledge like a gecko on a ceiling thanks to a special fan suction system on its chassis. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Real Sociedad almost gave up a three-goal lead and were reduced to 10 men but clung on to beat Deportivo La Coruna 3-2. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 With nowhere to escape, Rivera clung to the side of the overpass. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Oct. 2026 The passage Kazan clung to as her guiding principle in her study of Cathy arrives in Chapter 17. — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 Instead, Shawn ran into the kitchen, where his mother stood at the sink, and clung to her side. — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026 But there were also a few bits of good news that my dad clung to. — Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 For three years, as Israeli bombs made ruins of the ground, some of the trees and vines had clung to life in the spongy layer of clay below. — Ghada Abdulfattah, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Oct. 2026 These prejudices, combined with the establishment of Italian churches and feasts, led to the belief that Italian immigrants clung too strongly to the traditions of their homeland and refused to assimilate into American culture. — Clare Whitton, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clung

Verb

McCarthy and his co-screenwriters, Noé Debré and Thomas Bidegain, have adhered closely to the actual transcripts of the conference in their efforts to recreate it.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
Earlier versions adhered more closely to the facts of what happened to Pam.

— Josh Rivera, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of adhered

Browse Nearby Words

clumsy

clung

clung (to)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Clung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clung. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of clung

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes