lingering

2 antonyms for lingering — opposites grouped by meaning.

Adjective — Continuing to exist or be noticeable long after you would expect it to have gone.

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective

Continuing to exist or be noticeable long after you would expect it to have gone.

“There was a lingering smell of woodsmoke in the hallway.”

persistent enduring residual remaining abiding

Opposites

fleeting momentary

2. verb

Present participle of linger: staying somewhere longer than necessary, often because you are reluctant to leave.

“A few guests were still lingering by the door at midnight.”

loitering dawdling hanging around tarrying

3. adjective

Slow and drawn out, especially of illness or death.

“After a long and lingering illness, he died at home.”

protracted prolonged drawn-out

Antonyms

fleeting momentary

How to use lingering

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

lingering doubt lingering smell lingering effects lingering illness lingering look

Neutral; equally at home in everyday speech and literary description.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between lingering and loitering?

Lingering simply means staying on longer than expected, and is neutral or even affectionate. Loitering suggests hanging about with no purpose and carries a suspicious, sometimes criminal, edge — which is why signs say "no loitering" rather than "no lingering".

Can a feeling be lingering?

Yes. Doubts, resentment, sadness, hope and affection are all commonly described as lingering when they persist after the event that caused them has passed.

People also searched

remaining persistent prolonged enduring residual abiding fleeting protracted tarrying momentary loitering

Nearby words

← Back to the full definition of lingering