lingering 1 of 2

adjective

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

lingering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of linger
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

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 lingering
Adjective
No more distractions, no more lingering questions, just a baller who loves this sport and continues to level up. — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 31 July 2026 Although the treatment significantly reduced the cancer, follow-up exams showed lingering traces of the disease. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2026 Communities near the Canadian fires could see lingering impacts into the weekend as long as fires continue burning and winds keep transporting smoke south. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 15 July 2026 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
As the train gains elevation, dense coastal forest gradually gives way to alpine tundra, glacial lakes, rocky peaks, and, early in the season, lingering snowfields before reaching the White Pass Summit at 2,885 feet. — Bailey Berg, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026 Excitement surrounding the new season is slowly growing among the West Ham United fanbase, but there are lingering issues that remain hard to ignore. — Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026 If towels are feeling stiff, give them a deep clean to remove any lingering detergent or oils. — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026 Ohtani hasn’t pitched since July 3 because of lingering inflammation and soreness in his left knee. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026 Chapman went through the rehab process and hoped to return when the Giants visited the Padres in San Diego two weeks ago, but didn’t return as planned due to lingering soreness while running. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2026 The sudden influx of heat will be huge, though temporary and unlikely to have lingering effects. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026 Clear delay Warren also noted a significant lingering question about the federal government’s response. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026 The matching dryer uses steam and tumbling to capture any lingering pet hair, helping clothes come out cleaner and ready to wear. — Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lingering
  1. residual
  2. delaying
  3. lasting
  4. dragging
  5. poking
  6. crawling
  7. creeping
Adjective
  • The agency warned riders to expect residual delays of up to 20 minutes systemwide.
    — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Maybe green mana only backfired on the initial spell, but residual energy processed as planned.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of residual
Verb
  • In that unlikely scenario, the project with LINXS could be terminated and Los Angeles World Airports, which manages LAX, would have to find a new contractor, further delaying the train’s future.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Tampa politicians will likely celebrate by delaying a vote on the Rays’ proposed new stadium by another few months.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of delaying
Adjective
  • Tributes from Thompson, fellow castmates and Sesame Workshop hail her comic brilliance, spiritual warmth and lasting impact on young audiences.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • On Wednesday, Santa Clara University professors Robert Senkewicz and Rose Marie Beebe will explore how these parallel histories had a lasting impact on Native Peoples at the Los Altos History Museum.
    — Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of lasting
Verb
  • But Beaman is quick to point out that people shouldn't simply head into the woods and start dragging things out themselves.
    — Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Gaten Matarazzo is playing sort of a sexy role, where Billie’s dragging him into the bathroom.
    — Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of dragging
Verb
  • Carrington has previously garnered controversy for poking Cunningham's teammate Caitlin Clark in the eye during the 2024 playoffs, and making controversial statements in the media.
    — Jackson Thompson , Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • At first glance, corals present as little more than colorful rocks — piles of lobes, stalagmites, and branches poking out from the seafloor.
    — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of poking
Verb
  • Tests on Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, Unitree’s G1 and Boston Dynamics’ Spot showed the robots could perform crawling, cartwheels, handstands, soccer kicks and other complex movements across different robotic body types.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile in Broward County, a restaurant had two dozen live roaches inside the dishwasher, under a food warmer and chest freezer, and crawling on a wall.
    — Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of crawling
Verb
  • Inflation creeping higher The extreme heat compounds an expensive summer for Europe, where the war has already pushed up energy costs.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a growing split between jobs where pay is jumping and jobs where raises are creeping along.
    — Jason St. Angelo, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of creeping

Browse Nearby Words

lingeries
lingering
lingeringly
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Cite this Entry

“Lingering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lingering. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lingering

Nglish: Translation of lingering for Spanish Speakers

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