Linger means to staycontinue being in a place instead of leaving somewhere longer than necessary, to move or act slowly, or to remaincontinue to exist or continue in the same condition for a while even as something is fadinggradually becoming weaker, less clear, or less bright away.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈlɪŋɡɚ/
Easy pronunciation: LING-ger (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Use this for the verb meaning to take one's time, proceed slowly.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Linger Meaning
to move or act slowly and not hurry
Part of speech: verb
Definition: take one's time; proceed slowly
Example: We lingered over coffee after lunch.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- dawdle — A strong synonym when linger means to move or act slowly.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Linger
Meaning 2
to stay or move around in a place without settling or leaving
Part of speech: verb
Definition: move to and fro
Example: The shy student lingered in the corner.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- hover — Works in some contexts for staying nearby or moving restlessly.
Meaning 3
to spend time around somewhere without a clear purpose
Part of speech: verb
Definition: be about
Example: They lingered outside the shop for a few minutes.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- hang around — A natural substitute in informal English.
- loaf — Fits the sense of lingering around idly, though it is more informal and can suggest laziness.
- loiter — Works when someone stays around a place without a clear purpose.
- lounge — Can work when lingering means staying around in a relaxed, idle way.
- tarry — A more literary or old-fashioned synonym.
Meaning 4
to delay leaving or go away reluctantly
Part of speech: verb
Definition: leave slowly and hesitantly
Example: She lingered at the door before saying goodbye.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- tarry — A good synonym when linger means to hesitate before leaving.
Meaning 5
to continue to exist for a while as something fades or weakens
Part of speech: verb
Definition: remain present although waning or gradually dying
Example: Her perfume lingered on.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Linger Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- dawdle
stay around without a clear purpose
- hang around
- loaf
- loiter
- lounge
- tarry
delay leaving or move away hesitantly
- tarry
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not use linger to mean lurk; lurking involves hiding, while lingering means staying longer or remaining.
- Do not mix up linger with dawdle in every context; dawdle mainly means move or act slowly.
- Do not assume hang around fits the fading or remaining-afterwards sense, such as a smell lingering.
- Tarry is often literary or old-fashioned, so it may not suit modern casual writing.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main meaning of linger?
The most common everyday meaning is to stay somewhere longer than expected or to delay moving on.
Is linger the same as dawdle?
Sometimes. They overlap when linger means to move or act slowly, but dawdle is more specifically about being slow or wasting time.
Can linger mean to stay after something has ended?
Yes. It can describe something that remains for a while as it fades, like a smell, feeling, or memory.
What are good synonyms for linger?
Good synonyms depend on the sense. Common ones include dawdle, hang around, loiter, and tarry.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
