clingier; clingiest
: having the quality of clinging to someone or something: such as
a
: tending to adhere to a surface upon contact
a clingy plastic wrap
clingy fabrics/clothes
In her clingiest [=tightest-fitting] dress she swings into town and soon has the men howling.—
Peter Travers
Peter Travers
b
: tending to stay very close to someone (such as a parent) for emotional support, protection, etc.
a clingy child
Some kids act out or become whiny to get a parent's attention; others become clingy or fearful.—Leah Hennen
Leah Hennen
clinginess
noun
disliked the fabric's clinginess
Any number of women I interviewed cited clinginess in a boyfriend as a major deal breaker.
—Liza Mundy
Liza Mundy
Examples of clingy in a Sentence
it took forever to clean up the clingy Styrofoam pellets that had been used as packing material for the lamp
Recent Examples on the Web
Preschool-age children are likely to have behavioral changes such as becoming clingy, waking up frequently at night or becoming pickier eaters.
—Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025
Some pets become needy and clingy when their environment and routines change.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 2 July 2025
The new study, published in Nature, describes the clingy planet, HIP 67522 b, as having a death wish, as its wispy mass is slowly deteriorating thanks to its proximity to the star.
—Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 2 July 2025
Considering our middle-aged star, the sun, is 4.6 billion years old, the stellar parent of this clingy exoplanet (called HIP 67522) is a relative infant.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for clingy
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Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025
Some pets become needy and clingy when their environment and routines change.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 2 July 2025
The new study, published in Nature, describes the clingy planet, HIP 67522 b, as having a death wish, as its wispy mass is slowly deteriorating thanks to its proximity to the star.
—Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 2 July 2025
Considering our middle-aged star, the sun, is 4.6 billion years old, the stellar parent of this clingy exoplanet (called HIP 67522) is a relative infant.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for clingy
Cite this Entry
“Clingy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clingy. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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