clingier

Clingier is an adjective used to describe a person, animal, or object that displays an increased tendency to adhere, attach, or hold onto something more firmly than usual. The term is the comparative form of clingy, indicating a person or thing that is more attached or dependent than another.

In everyday language, clingier is most often applied to people in relationships. A clingier partner may seek more frequent contact, ask for constant reassurance, and feel uneasy when alone. This phrasing is frequently used in psychology to distinguish a moderate level of attachment from an extreme or pathological form such as obsessive or enmeshed attachment. Researchers use the adjective to categorize levels of personal interdependence when assessing attachment styles, which can influence intimacy, self-esteem, and conflict resolution.

The word is also used in materials science to describe fabrics that resist stretching or that adhere strongly to other surfaces. For example, clingier fabrics may hold wrinkles or prevent garments from slipping down. In the mechanical realm, clingier adhesives are those that cover a surface more aggressively and have a higher work of adhesion.

Clingier is simply the comparative of clingy, formed by adding –ier to the adjective. It adheres to standard English comparative rules and is considered nonstandard in some dialects where inseparable forms such as more clingy are preferred. The term is widely understood across different varieties of English.