linger
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to remain or stay on in a place longer than is usual or expected, as if from reluctance to leave.
We lingered awhile after the party.
-
to remain alive; continue or persist, although gradually dying, ceasing, disappearing, etc..
She lingered a few months after the heart attack. Such practices still linger among the older natives.
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to dwell in contemplation, thought, or enjoyment.
to linger over the beauty of a painting.
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to be tardy in action; delay; dawdle.
to linger in discharging one's duties.
- Synonyms:
- tarry
-
to walk slowly; saunter along.
- Synonyms:
- loiter
verb (used with object)
-
to pass (time, life, etc.) in a leisurely or a tedious manner (usually followed by away orout ).
We lingered away the whole summer at the beach.
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Archaic. to draw out or protract.
verb
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to delay or prolong departure
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to go in a slow or leisurely manner; saunter
-
to remain just alive for some time prior to death
-
to persist or continue, esp in the mind
-
to be slow to act; dither; procrastinate
Other Word Forms
- lingerer noun
- lingering adjective
- lingeringly adverb
- outlinger verb (used with object)
- overlinger verb (used without object)
- unlingering adjective
Etymology
Origin of linger
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English lengeren “to dwell, remain,” literally, “to delay repeatedly,” from lengen, Old English lengan “to delay, lengthen, prolong”; long 1, -er 6
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He had read the National Weather Service’s forecast for the day — temperatures were expected to be warmer — and handling any lingering hot spots would be easier with hoses in place.
From Los Angeles Times
Whether the Middle East conflict drags on or ends swiftly remains an open question, but fear about the rapidly evolving AI landscape will linger.
From MarketWatch
Citrus lingers — oranges, grapefruit, tangerines — holding onto the last of their brightness like a lantern carried through fog.
From Salon
“I always tell my kids not to put things off, to do things now, and yet here I was with these things lingering in my brain,” she says.
“Homes that are priced and marketed right are finding a buyer and going under contract in 47 days, while homes that miss the mark are lingering for a median of 88 days.”
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
