MEANING
To remain or continue longer than expected, wanted, or immediately necessary.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- linger in a doorway
- a scent lingers
On the page
She lingered in the doorway after the farewell.
The scent lingered when the room was empty.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- linger
- Past tense
- lingered
- Past participle
- lingered
- Present participle
- lingering
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- linger
- Present continuous
- am/is/are lingering
- Present perfect
- have/has lingered
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been lingering
- Past
- lingered
- Past continuous
- was/were lingering
- Past perfect
- had lingered
- Past perfect continuous
- had been lingering
- Future
- will linger
- Future continuous
- will be lingering
- Future perfect
- will have lingered
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been lingering
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary. Forms: linger; lingers; lingered; lingered; lingering Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: lingers.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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