lingering
12 synonyms and 2 antonyms for lingering, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Continuing to exist or be noticeable long after you would expect it to have gone.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
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.”
Opposites
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.”
3. adjective
Slow and drawn out, especially of illness or death.
“After a long and lingering illness, he died at home.”
How to use lingering
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Neutral; equally at home in everyday speech and literary description.
