# linger

/ˈɫɪŋɝ/ (US) · /lˈɪŋɡɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/linger
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to stay in a place

verb · CEFR B2

to stay in a place longer than you need to, usually because you do not want to leave.

For teachers: to remain in a location or situation longer than is customary or necessary, typically out of reluctance to depart.

- The guests continued to linger in the hallway long after the party ended.
- The students tended to linger in the courtyard after the final bell, unwilling to head home while the weather remained so pleasant.

Usage: Intransitive; often followed by 'at', 'in', or 'around'.

### 2. to remain or persist

verb · CEFR B2

to continue to exist for a long time, like a smell in the air or a feeling in your mind.

For teachers: to persist or remain present although gradually fading or disappearing.

- The smell of fresh coffee continued to linger in the kitchen all morning.
- Although the crisis had passed, a sense of unease continued to linger among the staff for several weeks.

Usage: Often used with abstract subjects like 'doubt', 'scent', or 'memory'.

### 3. to die slowly

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to stay alive for a long time while becoming weaker or closer to death.

For teachers: to remain alive while gradually weakening or approaching death; to endure in a state of decline.

- The old traditions began to linger in small villages even as the cities changed.
- The patient continued to linger for several days, showing a remarkable but tragic strength as his systems slowly failed.

Usage: Intransitive.

### 4. to look or think for a long time

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to spend a long time looking at something or thinking about an idea.

For teachers: to dwell on a thought, subject, or visual detail for an extended period.

- Her eyes started to linger on the old photograph as she remembered her childhood.
- The essay lingers over the minor details of the poet's life, perhaps at the expense of analyzing the work itself.

Usage: Usually takes the preposition 'on' or 'over'.

## Examples

- The smell of fresh coffee continues to linger in the kitchen.
- The guests decided to linger at the table long after the meal was finished to finish their conversation.
- Although the storm had passed hours ago, a heavy sense of unease continued to linger over the coastal village as residents assessed the damage.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.