Linger
verb
To stay in a place longer than necessary, often out of reluctance to leave.
After the movie ended, they lingered in the theater, discussing the plot.
Often appears as...
- linger in mind
- linger in thoughts
verb
To continue to exist, be noticeable etc for longer than is usual or desirable.
The smell of cooking lingered in the room even after dinner was over.
Often appears as...
- smell lingers
- taste lingers
verb
To take one's time, delay or dawdle.
He lingered over his coffee, enjoying the morning quiet.
Often appears as...
- linger over coffee
- linger over breakfast
verb
To stay in a place longer than necessary, often out of reluctance to leave.
After the movie ended, they lingered in the theater, discussing the plot.
Often appears as...
- linger in mind
- linger in thoughts
verb
To continue to exist, be noticeable etc for longer than is usual or desirable.
The smell of cooking lingered in the room even after dinner was over.
Often appears as...
- smell lingers
- taste lingers
verb
To take one's time, delay or dawdle.
He lingered over his coffee, enjoying the morning quiet.
Often appears as...
- linger over coffee
- linger over breakfast
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Attachment
It often implies emotional reasons behind the reluctance to leave.
She lingered at her childhood home, flooded with nostalgia.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtle Exit
Used when someone leaves slowly and quietly to avoid drawing attention.
He lingered at the party's edge, then slipped away unnoticed.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
Can suggest inconvenience or annoyance in certain contexts.
Guests lingered long after the event, inconveniencing the hosts.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Attachment
It often implies emotional reasons behind the reluctance to leave.
She lingered at her childhood home, flooded with nostalgia.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtle Exit
Used when someone leaves slowly and quietly to avoid drawing attention.
He lingered at the party's edge, then slipped away unnoticed.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
Can suggest inconvenience or annoyance in certain contexts.
Guests lingered long after the event, inconveniencing the hosts.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Attachment
It often implies emotional reasons behind the reluctance to leave.
She lingered at her childhood home, flooded with nostalgia.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtle Exit
Used when someone leaves slowly and quietly to avoid drawing attention.
He lingered at the party's edge, then slipped away unnoticed.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
Can suggest inconvenience or annoyance in certain contexts.
Guests lingered long after the event, inconveniencing the hosts.
Never forget "Linger"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
The game that can give...
Shaking someone's hand for six seconds dramatically raises the level of oxytocin in your bloodstream, now that's the trust hormone. That means that all of you who just shook hands are biochemically primed to like and want to help each other. This will linger during the break, so take advantage of the networking opportunities.
Video examples
Meet the World's Tiniest...
eruption lingers in the atmosphere the particles will block the sunlight and stop the plants from doing photosynthesis effectively killing them however once the particles settle they provide a lot of nutrients to the ground and the newly solidified lava that has cleared the previous plant life now
Video examples
The psychology of...
Many of us will experience some kind of trauma during our lifetime. Sometimes, we escape with no long-term effects. But for millions of us, those experiences linger, causing symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, and negative thoughts that interfere with everyday life.
Video examples
How Magellan circumnaviga...
An obsessive chronicler, Pigafetta described the lands and people they encountered. With the help of a humble slave, he also compiled the world's first phrase book of native languages. His journal is the reason we can tell this story. Magellan's legacy lingers.
Video examples
How does a jellyfish...
Nematocyst discharge can occur in less than a millionth of a second, making it one of nature's fastest biomechanical processes. Nematocysts can continue to fire even after a jellyfish has died, so it's important to remove lingering tentacles stuck to the skin.
Video examples
Lee Mokobe: A powerful...
and salve my mouth would dissolve like sugar on tongue, but shame lingered as an aftertaste. And in an attempt to reintroduce me to sanctity, my mother told me of the miracle I was, said I could grow up to be anything I want. I decided to be a boy.
Video examples
Stopping Pandemics, An...
to do it it could linger on and linger you know you hear people talk about well you'll get hurt immunity so why don't we you know let's just get a lot of people infected and then we'll be protected if you do that that is probably true but a lot of
Video examples
4 Lessons in Creativity...
I was disabled from reading. I just had to do it really slowly, and as I did, lingering on those sentences as I had to linger, I fell heir to language's other qualities, which I think has helped me write sentences.
Video examples
The Case for Radically...
where you learn in corner-less classrooms. Where those professors and teachers work with you rather than dictating to you. Where people can be inspired by learning but encouraged to linger.
Video examples
3 ways to be a better...
So, I realized recently that I still have lingering shame and fear from that moment in my career when I felt utterly alone, shut out and unsupported.
Video examples
The game that can give...
Shaking someone's hand for six seconds dramatically raises the level of oxytocin in your bloodstream, now that's the trust hormone. That means that all of you who just shook hands are biochemically primed to like and want to help each other. This will linger during the break, so take advantage of the networking opportunities.
Video examples
Meet the World's Tiniest...
eruption lingers in the atmosphere the particles will block the sunlight and stop the plants from doing photosynthesis effectively killing them however once the particles settle they provide a lot of nutrients to the ground and the newly solidified lava that has cleared the previous plant life now
Video examples
The psychology of...
Many of us will experience some kind of trauma during our lifetime. Sometimes, we escape with no long-term effects. But for millions of us, those experiences linger, causing symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, and negative thoughts that interfere with everyday life.
Video examples
How Magellan circumnaviga...
An obsessive chronicler, Pigafetta described the lands and people they encountered. With the help of a humble slave, he also compiled the world's first phrase book of native languages. His journal is the reason we can tell this story. Magellan's legacy lingers.
Video examples
How does a jellyfish...
Nematocyst discharge can occur in less than a millionth of a second, making it one of nature's fastest biomechanical processes. Nematocysts can continue to fire even after a jellyfish has died, so it's important to remove lingering tentacles stuck to the skin.
Video examples
Lee Mokobe: A powerful...
and salve my mouth would dissolve like sugar on tongue, but shame lingered as an aftertaste. And in an attempt to reintroduce me to sanctity, my mother told me of the miracle I was, said I could grow up to be anything I want. I decided to be a boy.
Video examples
Stopping Pandemics, An...
to do it it could linger on and linger you know you hear people talk about well you'll get hurt immunity so why don't we you know let's just get a lot of people infected and then we'll be protected if you do that that is probably true but a lot of
Video examples
4 Lessons in Creativity...
I was disabled from reading. I just had to do it really slowly, and as I did, lingering on those sentences as I had to linger, I fell heir to language's other qualities, which I think has helped me write sentences.
Video examples
The Case for Radically...
where you learn in corner-less classrooms. Where those professors and teachers work with you rather than dictating to you. Where people can be inspired by learning but encouraged to linger.
Video examples
3 ways to be a better...
So, I realized recently that I still have lingering shame and fear from that moment in my career when I felt utterly alone, shut out and unsupported.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Arbaaz Khan
Indian Actor
There will always be a sense of things you want to achieve, where you want to be, a sense of disappointment, a few regrets here and there. Those are always going to linger. How you cope with them and how you move on is what your life is about.
Quote examples
Kidd Kraddick
American Entertainer
Have you ever thought about those last moments of your life? Nobody wants a long, lingering illness; nobody wants just that; but it would be nice if you could have a day or two where you know it's coming.
Quote examples
Philomena Kwao
I think that we need to allow words to be words. If my self-esteem and my self-worth linger on words that are used to describe me, then you have a problem in itself.
Quote examples
Georg Buchner
German Dramatist
The death clock is ticking slowly in our breast, and each drop of blood measures its time, and our life is a lingering fever.
Quote examples
Derek Jeter
American Baseball Player
I think when things linger, that's when they become a distraction. I don't want any distractions.
Quote examples
Henry Vaughan
Welsh Poet
They are all gone into the world of light, and I alone sit lingering here.
Quote examples
Dwayne Johnson
American Actor
There's this lingering philosophy that movie stars shouldn't do TV.
Quote examples
Clara Schumann
German Musician
Why hurry over beautiful things? Why not linger and enjoy them?
Quote examples
Agatha Christie
English Writer
Everything that has existed, lingers in the Eternity.
Quote examples
Alfred Lord Tennyson
British Poet
Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.
Quote examples
Arbaaz Khan
Indian Actor
There will always be a sense of things you want to achieve, where you want to be, a sense of disappointment, a few regrets here and there. Those are always going to linger. How you cope with them and how you move on is what your life is about.
Quote examples
Kidd Kraddick
American Entertainer
Have you ever thought about those last moments of your life? Nobody wants a long, lingering illness; nobody wants just that; but it would be nice if you could have a day or two where you know it's coming.
Quote examples
Philomena Kwao
I think that we need to allow words to be words. If my self-esteem and my self-worth linger on words that are used to describe me, then you have a problem in itself.
Quote examples
Georg Buchner
German Dramatist
The death clock is ticking slowly in our breast, and each drop of blood measures its time, and our life is a lingering fever.
Quote examples
Derek Jeter
American Baseball Player
I think when things linger, that's when they become a distraction. I don't want any distractions.
Quote examples
Henry Vaughan
Welsh Poet
They are all gone into the world of light, and I alone sit lingering here.
Quote examples
Dwayne Johnson
American Actor
There's this lingering philosophy that movie stars shouldn't do TV.
Quote examples
Clara Schumann
German Musician
Why hurry over beautiful things? Why not linger and enjoy them?
Quote examples
Agatha Christie
English Writer
Everything that has existed, lingers in the Eternity.
Quote examples
Alfred Lord Tennyson
British Poet
Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension