# clinging

Pronunciation: say "KLING-ing" /ˈklɪŋɪŋ/

## Verb

1. Present participle and gerund of cling. — present participle and gerund of cling
   - Simple: Present participle of cling. Use this form for someone or something holding on tightly right now.
   - _The ivy was clinging to the old stone wall, leaving green marks on the surface._
   - _Soaked sailors kept clinging to the overturned hull until dawn._

## Adjective

2. Tending to hold on tightly, or wanting constant closeness and attention from another person.
   - Simple: Wanting to be very close to someone all the time, or sticking tightly to something.
   - _The clinging vine had wrapped itself around every post on the porch._
   - _Her clinging manner made the new colleagues feel crowded at first._

## Noun

3. The act of holding fast to someone or something, refusing to let go.
   - Simple: The act of holding on tightly to someone or something and not letting go.
   - _His desperate clinging to old habits held back the whole team._
   - _The child's tearful clinging at the gate delayed the school bus._

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/clinging (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).