English Reference

Word

clingy

UK/klˈɪŋi/

Definition

adj. behaving in a way that shows you want to stay close to someone or something. It can describe a child who does not want to leave their parent or a person who is too dependent on another.

adj. characterised by a tendency to remain close to or attached to someone or something. Often carries a negative connotation when describing adult relationships or children's behavior.

Examples

“The child was very clingy when we went to the park.”

“He felt his relationship was becoming too clingy, so he decided to spend more time with his friends.”

“The protagonist's clingy nature is portrayed as a survival mechanism, though it ultimately isolates him from the very community he seeks to protect.”

Examples

simple

“The child was very clingy when we went to the park.”

contextual

“He felt his relationship was becoming too clingy, so he decided to spend more time with his friends.”

complex

“The protagonist's clingy nature is portrayed as a survival mechanism, though it ultimately isolates him from the very community he seeks to protect.”

Etymology

From cling + -y.

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

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
Frequency
Occasional
Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Updated

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English Reference