English Reference
Idiom idiom

linger on


To continue to ponder or observe something for longer than normal.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

Do not linger on your past mistakes.

CONTEXTUAL

The photographer liked to linger on the details of the old building before taking the shot.

COMPLEX

While the rest of the audience moved toward the exit, he chose to linger on the final, haunting notes of the symphony.


Last updated August 10, 2026