LINGER: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for LINGER?

Need another word that means the same as “linger”? Find 21 synonyms and 30 related words for “linger” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Linger” are: dawdle, hover, footle, hang around, lallygag, loaf, loiter, lollygag, lounge, lurk, mess about, mill about, mill around, tarry, wait around, stay, remain, stay put, wait, persist, continue

Linger as a Verb

Definitions of "Linger" as a verb

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “linger” as a verb can have the following definitions:

• Leave slowly and hesitantly.
• Stay in a place longer than necessary because of a reluctance to leave.
• Move to and fro.
• Remain present although waning or gradually dying.
• Spend a long time over (something.
• Take one's time; proceed slowly.
• Be slow to disappear or die.
• Be about.

Synonyms of "Linger" as a verb (21 Words)

continue	Continue talking he continued. We continue the story from the point reached in Chapter 1.
dawdle	Take one’s time; proceed slowly. She mustn t dawdle she had to make the call now.
footle	Be about. Where's that pesky creature that was footling about outside?
hang around	Let drop or droop.
hover	Linger close at hand, especially in a hesitant or uncertain manner. If you hover over the video it will play a preview with sound.
lallygag	Be about.
loaf	Be about.
loiter	Walk slowly and with no apparent purpose; dawdle. The high school students like to loiter in the Central Square.
lollygag	Spend time aimlessly; idle. We re lollygagging along.
lounge	Lie, sit, or stand in a relaxed or lazy way. Several students were lounging about reading papers.
lurk	Wait in hiding to attack. A ruthless killer still lurked in the darkness.
mess about	Make a mess of or create disorder in.
mill about	Move about in a confused manner.
mill around	Roll out (metal) with a rolling machine.
persist	Be persistent refuse to stop. The minority of drivers who persist in drinking.
remain	Stay the same remain in a certain state. Despite student protests he remained Dean for another year.
stay	Stay the same remain in a certain state. The smell stayed in the room.
stay put	Stay put in a certain place.
tarry	Leave slowly and hesitantly.
wait	Wait before acting. I told my parents not to wait supper.
wait around	Stay in one place and anticipate or expect something.

Usage Examples of "Linger" as a verb

• The tradition seems to linger on.
• We are thankful that she didn't linger on and suffer.
• She lingered over her meal.
• Her perfume lingered on.
• She let her eyes linger on him suggestively.
• She lingered in the yard, enjoying the warm sunshine.
• The shy student lingered in the corner.

Associations of "Linger" (30 Words)

behind	A kick that sends the ball over a behind line or a touch that sends it between the inner posts scoring one point. She was behind with her rent.
continue	Continue a certain state condition or activity. We continued to work into the night.
dally	Have a casual romantic or sexual liaison with. Get busy don t dally.
dawdle	Move slowly and idly in a particular direction. She mustn t dawdle she had to make the call now.
decelerate	Reduce the speed of. The train began to decelerate.
delay	The action of delaying or being delayed. The train was delayed.
existing	Existing in something specified. Depletion of the oxygen existing in the bloodstream.
glitch	A fault or defect in a computer program, system, or machine. The only glitch in his year is failing to qualify for the Masters.
hover	Move to and fro. You can hover your cursor over any button to see an explanation.
lag	Cover with lagging to prevent heat loss. Lag pipes.
latency	The time that elapses between a stimulus and the response to it. Poor performance due to network latency.
levitate	Rise or cause to rise and hover in the air, typically by means of supposed magical powers. The guru claimed that he could levitate.
lingering	Lasting for a long time or slow to end. There are still some lingering doubts in my mind.
loiter	Walk slowly and with no apparent purpose; dawdle. She saw Mary loitering near the cloakrooms.
lurk	(of an unpleasant quality) be present in a latent or barely discernible state, although still presenting a threat. Danger lurks beneath the surface.
onwards	In a forward direction.
persevere	Be persistent, refuse to stop. His family persevered with his treatment.
persist	Be persistent refuse to stop. He persisted to call me every night.
pitchy	Having the characteristics of pitch or tar.
postpone	Hold back to a later time. The visit had to be postponed for some time.
procrastinate	Delay or postpone action; put off doing something. The temptation will be to procrastinate until the power struggle plays itself out.
remain	Stay the same remain in a certain state. Despite student protests he remained Dean for another year.
residual	Remaining after the greater part or quantity has gone. The eroded residuals of reefs built in relation to earlier higher sea levels.
retardation	Any agent that retards or delays or hinders. The goals of treatment include retardation of disease progression.
slowdown	The act of slowing down or falling behind. The drop in earnings was due to an extreme economic slowdown.
sojourn	A temporary stay (e.g., as a guest. She had sojourned once in Egypt.
stay	Fasten with stays. They had a nice stay in Paris.
tarry	Having the characteristics of pitch or tar. A length of tarry rope.
time	One s lifetime. It s time for bed.
waste	Run off as waste. We can t afford to waste electricity.