In a clinging manner; with the quality of clinging or holding on persistently.
From 'clinging' (present participle of 'cling') plus the adverbial suffix '-ly', transforming the verb form into an adverb describing how an action is done.
The word captures something poetic—ivy grows clingingly up walls over years, and spider silk clings clingingly to everything it touches because of its helical molecular structure!
Adverbial form perpetuates stereotype through implied judgment of dependent behavior, more often applied to women.
Avoid unless describing literal physical clinging; otherwise use neutral descriptors.
["dependently","while seeking reassurance"]
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