What does linger mean?
Linger means to remain, stay, or continue to exist, especially when leaving or ending is delayed. People linger over something when they spend longer with it than expected, often because they enjoy it or feel reluctant to move on. A thought, sound, scent, or feeling may linger after its source has gone, suggesting that its presence remains vivid or difficult to shake off. The word is often literary and expressive rather than strictly formal, and its connotation can range from pleasant, as with a lingering melody, to unsettling, as with lingering fear. It is also used to describe a delay in departure or progress. Although commonly used intransitively, it can appear with a following object in phrases such as “linger over a question.” Its ability to convey both physical staying and the persistence of an impression makes it especially useful in descriptive writing.
verbTo remain, stay, or continue to exist, especially when departure or cessation is delayed. It can also mean to be slow to leave, finish, or make a decision.
- To remain, stay, or continue to be present.
- To delay departure, completion, or action.
- To continue to exist or be felt after the original event has passed.
"The scent of jasmine lingered in the courtyard long after the last visitor had gone."
"A faint smile lingered on her face as she left the room."
"The old house seemed to linger in the background of the photograph, as if it could still remember the voices that had lived there."
To linger is to let a moment last a little longer than necessary, whether that moment is a glance, a scent, or a doubt.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does linger come from?
The word comes from Old English lengerian, meaning “to tarry, delay, or wait,” and is related to the Germanic and Indo-European roots meaning “long.” In modern English, its meaning expanded from delaying or remaining to include the persistence of a sensation, memory, or atmosphere. The word is cognate with forms such as long and length, while cognates in other languages reflect the same older root.
Related word forms
How linger is actually used
The word is commonly intransitive and often has a literary or poetic tone. It may suggest reluctance to leave, but it can also be neutral or positive, as in a lingering fragrance, while a lingering doubt or threat has a more negative implication.
Easily confused with linger
To linger is to stay or continue, whereas to lunge is to make a sudden forward movement.