cling

cling — verb

1. to hold on very tightly to someone or something with your hands or arms, or to s

1.verbintransitiveC2
Definition

to hold on very tightly to someone or something with your hands or arms, or to stick firmly to a surface and resist being pulled off.

Example

The wet shirt clung to Ravi's back after he ran home through the rain.

collocation: cling to + body part for physical sticking

The toddler clung to her father's hand as cars rushed past the crosswalk.

Common collocations
  • cling tightly
  • cling desperately
  • cling to a rope / railing / ledge
  • cling to someone's hand / arm / neck
  • cling onto
Synonyms
  • hold

    more general; 'hold' does not imply tightness or desperation the way 'cling' does.

  • grip

    suggests a very firm, deliberate hold, often with hands; less emotional than 'cling'.

  • clutch

    implies a sudden, anxious grab, often out of fear.

Antonyms
  • release

    to let go of something deliberately.

  • let go

    to stop holding; the opposite action of clinging.

Grammar Patterns

cling + to/onto + noun phrase

Usage Note

Frequently used with a preposition ('to', 'onto') that names the thing or person being held. The past form 'clung' is irregular — do not add '-ed'.

Common Mistakes

She clinged to the railing.
She clung to the railing.
'cling' is irregular; the past tense is 'clung', not 'clunged' or 'clinged'.

2. to remain physically near someone or something, often staying close for comfort,

2.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to remain physically near someone or something, often staying close for comfort, safety, or practical reasons.

Example

The small fishing village clings to the edge of the narrow fjord.

figurative use: a village clinging to a geographic feature

During the thunderstorm the puppies clung close together under the porch.

Common collocations
  • cling close
  • cling together
  • cling to the side / edge / surface
  • cling to a hillside / coastline
Synonyms
  • stay close

    more neutral and general; 'cling' suggests a tighter or more persistent closeness.

  • hug

    only for people; implies an embrace rather than positional proximity.

Antonyms
  • drift away

    to move slowly apart, the opposite of staying close.

  • separate

    to move apart from something or someone.

Grammar Patterns

cling + adverb/preposition (close, near, together)

Usage Note

Often describes objects or natural features positioned close to something (a village clinging to a hillside) rather than deliberate human action of holding.

Common Mistakes

They clung together for warmth during the hike.' (This is sense 1 — literal hold)
The cabins clung to the mountainside in a single row.
sense 2 is about position or proximity, not grasping.

3. to refuse to give up a belief, idea, hope, or relationship, holding on to it bec

3.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to refuse to give up a belief, idea, hope, or relationship, holding on to it because you need it emotionally.

Example

After the earthquake, the survivors clung to the hope of finding loved ones alive.

collocation: cling to + hope/idea/belief

The elderly man still clings to the traditions he learned as a child.

Common collocations
  • cling to hope
  • cling to a belief / idea / tradition
  • cling to the past
  • cling to someone for support / reassurance
  • cling to power
Synonyms
  • hold on to

    slightly less intense than 'cling'; can be both physical and emotional.

  • adhere to

    more formal; suggests following a principle or rule rather than emotional need.

  • cleave to

    formal or literary; suggests strong, faithful attachment.

Antonyms
  • let go of

    to release emotionally; to stop holding onto a belief or hope.

  • abandon

    to give up a belief, idea, or person deliberately.

Grammar Patterns

cling + to + abstract noun (hope, belief, idea, person)

Usage Note

Distinguish from verb/1 HOLD: sense 3 takes abstract objects (hope, belief, tradition) rather than physical ones. Distinguish from verb/2 STAY CLOSE: sense 3 is about emotional dependence or loyalty, not physical position.

Common Mistakes

She clung the idea that she could succeed.
She clung to the idea that she could succeed.
'cling' is intransitive and always needs a preposition when taking an object.
Phrasal verbs

cling on to

phrasal verb

To hold something tightly with your hands or arms.

The little girl clung on to her mother's hand in the crowd.

During the storm, he clung on to the railing to stay upright.

cling to

phrasal verb

To hold onto something or someone tightly, often because you are afraid or need support.

The wet shirt clung to his skin after the rain.

She clung to the hope that her lost cat would return.

cling — noun

Word family

  • clung
    verb (past)B2
  • clingy
    adjectiveB2
  • clinger
    nounC1
  • clinging
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words describe holding something, but they differ in intensity and emotion. 'Cling' is the most emotionally charged — it suggests anxiety, desperation, or a fear of letting go (e.g., a child clinging to a parent in a crowd). 'Grip' is firmer and more deliberate, often suggesting strength (e.g., gripping a tool handle tightly). 'Clutch' implies a sudden, urgent grab, often out of fear or surprise (e.g., clutching a handrail when the bus jerks). 'Hold' is the neutral, everyday term with no special intensity. 'Grasp' suggests using the whole hand to take hold of something, often with intention (e.g., grasping a rope to pull yourself up). Use 'cling' when the emotional need to hold on is central; use 'hold' for simple physical contact; use 'grip' for firm intentional contact; use 'clutch' for sudden grabbing; use 'grasp' for deliberate taking hold.

cling ↗grip ↗clutch ↗hold ↗grasp ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • cling to the idea that…
  • cling to each other
  • cling to life
  • cling to power

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'cling' comes from Old English 'clingan', meaning 'to stick together or adhere firmly'. It traces back to the Proto-Germanic root '*klingan', which carried the sense of shrinking or contracting tightly against something. By the 1500s, the word had developed its modern meaning of holding on physically. The emotional sense — refusing to give up a belief or relationship — appeared in the 1800s, extending the idea of physical sticking to the domain of feelings and attachments.