clingy

[ kling-ee ]

adjective

, cling·i·er, cling·i·est.

1. apt to cling; adhesive or tenacious:

   a clingy fabric.

Other Words From

• clingi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of clingy¹

First recorded in 1700–10; cling ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

When you engage one of the many excellent rescue groups around the country, you will find there are clingy cats or aloof cats, energetic cats or lazy cats, stubborn cats or people pleasers.

From Salon

In a conventional electrolyser, bubbles in the water can be clingy and stick to the electrodes, clogging up the process and leading to energy loss.

From BBC

Among other things, the survey asked mothers whether their children were restless, hyperactive, impatient, clingy or accident-prone.

From Los Angeles Times

“Because loneliness seems so sad and so clingy, right? It was for old people. It was for those who were bereaved.”

From Science Magazine

“I was always kind of clingy to my mom,” Colbie says.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• gummy
• sticky

More About Clingy

What does clingy mean?

A person who is overly attached to or emotionally dependent on another person can be described as clingy.

What are some other words related to clingy?

• needy
• high-maintenance
• controlling
• jealous

Where does clingy come from?

The word clingy is recorded in the early 1700s, originally used to describe objects that would literally cling to things. Clingy, referring to people, emerges by the late 19th century. In an 1896 issue of Munsey’s Magazine, for instance, a woman describes more delicate peers, said to depend on men to provide for them and save them from snakes and wild animals, as “Clingy Vine” women. This use helps illustrate the evolution of clingy from literal, physical clinging to metaphorical, emotional kinds.

In his work on attachment theory in children in the 1970s, Dr. John Bowlby described children who were too emotionally dependent on their parents as acting clingy, unwilling to be separated from them. Bowlby’s work contributed to the wider field of psychology and helped parents to manage clingy children (and maybe even vice versa).

Describing romantic partners, typically boyfriends or girlfriends, as clingy takes off at least by the early 1990s. Online around this time, people were comparing clingy partners to toddlers and pets who displayed similar behavior.

How is clingy used in real life?

Children and partners are often described as clingy. When used about children, clingy is often discussed as a phase for toddlers. When used about partners, clingy tends to be a negative term more often issued as a complaint against girlfriends who need too much attention.

Be mindful that clingy can be considered a gendered term and potentially sexist stereotype, and it may appear alongside needy or high-maintenance. (Men may be described as possessive, controlling, or jealous for similar behaviors.) A popular 2012 meme, Overly Attached Girlfriend, memorably parodied clingy behavior, especially as it spilled over into the creepy.

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Know Your Theme

More examples of clingy:

“He got more possessive and more clingy towards her, and wouldn’t let her do certain things.”

—Lauren Hutton interviewed by Joseph Diaz, Keturah Gray, and Lauren Effron, ABC News, September 2018