: a source of mental or emotional difficulty
broadly
: problem
hung up; hanging up; hangs up
1
a
: to place on a hook or hanger designed for the purpose
hang up your coat
b
: to replace (a telephone receiver) on the cradle so that the connection is broken
2
: to keep delayed, suspended, or held up
3
: to cause to stick or snag immovably
the ship was hung up on a sandbar
1
: to break a telephone connection
2
: to become stuck or snagged so as to be immovable
Synonyms
Examples of hang-up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Landon Mion, Fox News, 8 Apr. 2024
Cal State campuses have conducted workshops with local high schools — and also stepped up assistance for continuing students, who also were encountering unfamiliar hang-ups with their applications.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
The hang-up, according to GOP leadership sources, is funding for DHS, which would keep the agency funded at current levels.
—Lauren Peller, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2024
The hang-ups and prejudices of older generations are not theirs.
—Kate T. Parker, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
Since the buildings opened, the Police Department has had 762 calls for service there, including calls from Windsor Pointe residents, neighbors, police patrols, follow-up visits and 911 hang-ups, according to Police Chief Mickey Williams.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2024
CEOs face formidable challenges, whether leading a company during a pandemic, navigating various geopolitical tensions, inflation, logistical hang-ups, or the lingering possibility of a recession.
—Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
No one’s hang-up is any stranger than anyone else’s.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2024
The hang-up is a bit of an odd one for Lotus, because it’s previously sold a car in the U.S. with the same exact mill.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2024
Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2024
Last month, the husband and father of one reflected on hanging up his own racket, while speaking about the impact Roger Federer’s 2022 retirement had on him.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Folks with limited outdoor space can hang up hummingbird feeders filled with a sugar-water solution, Jones said.
—Sarah Linn, Sacramento Bee, 3 Apr. 2024
Students reported being repeatedly kicked out or locked out of the form, or hung up on after holding for 30 minutes to three hours for someone to answer the department’s help line.
—Zach Montague, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Five of Kentucky’s nine commission districts are currently sitting vacant, Abell says, and all five nominees to run those districts are hung up in the Senate.
—Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 14 Mar. 2024
Police advise ignoring unsolicited calls or hanging up if a phone conversation doesn’t seem right and never give out information such as a birth date, social security number or bank/credit card numbers.
—Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Mar. 2024
For most users, the best smartphone camera has to be ample enough that its photos are shareable on social media or printed out and hung up on the wall with little editing beforehand.
—Florence Ion / Gizmodo, Quartz, 9 Mar. 2024
After winning only one state—Vermont—and the District of Columbia, and losing 22 states to former President Donald Trump, Haley decided to hang up her hat.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024
Noun
Galloway Township police officers responded to a home on Cresson Avenue in Galloway Township at about 8:30 p.m. Sunday in response to a 911 hang-up call, the department said in a news release.
—Landon Mion, Fox News, 8 Apr. 2024
Cal State campuses have conducted workshops with local high schools — and also stepped up assistance for continuing students, who also were encountering unfamiliar hang-ups with their applications.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
The hang-up, according to GOP leadership sources, is funding for DHS, which would keep the agency funded at current levels.
—Lauren Peller, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2024
The hang-ups and prejudices of older generations are not theirs.
—Kate T. Parker, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
Since the buildings opened, the Police Department has had 762 calls for service there, including calls from Windsor Pointe residents, neighbors, police patrols, follow-up visits and 911 hang-ups, according to Police Chief Mickey Williams.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2024
CEOs face formidable challenges, whether leading a company during a pandemic, navigating various geopolitical tensions, inflation, logistical hang-ups, or the lingering possibility of a recession.
—Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
No one’s hang-up is any stranger than anyone else’s.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2024
The hang-up is a bit of an odd one for Lotus, because it’s previously sold a car in the U.S. with the same exact mill.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2024
Verb
Her brother said the police were asking about her, and Men hung up, police said.
—Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2024
Last month, the husband and father of one reflected on hanging up his own racket, while speaking about the impact Roger Federer’s 2022 retirement had on him.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Folks with limited outdoor space can hang up hummingbird feeders filled with a sugar-water solution, Jones said.
—Sarah Linn, Sacramento Bee, 3 Apr. 2024
Students reported being repeatedly kicked out or locked out of the form, or hung up on after holding for 30 minutes to three hours for someone to answer the department’s help line.
—Zach Montague, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Five of Kentucky’s nine commission districts are currently sitting vacant, Abell says, and all five nominees to run those districts are hung up in the Senate.
—Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 14 Mar. 2024
Police advise ignoring unsolicited calls or hanging up if a phone conversation doesn’t seem right and never give out information such as a birth date, social security number or bank/credit card numbers.
—Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Mar. 2024
For most users, the best smartphone camera has to be ample enough that its photos are shareable on social media or printed out and hung up on the wall with little editing beforehand.
—Florence Ion / Gizmodo, Quartz, 9 Mar. 2024
After winning only one state—Vermont—and the District of Columbia, and losing 22 states to former President Donald Trump, Haley decided to hang up her hat.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hang-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1952, in the meaning defined above
Verb
12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of hang-up was
in the 12th century
Dictionary Entries Near hang-up
Cite this Entry
“Hang-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hang-up. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
hang-up
1 of 2 nounˈhaŋ-ˌəp
: a source of mental or emotional difficulty
hang up
2 of 2 verb(ˈ)haŋ-ˈəp
1
a
: to place on a hook or hanger
hang up your coat
b
: to replace a telephone receiver on the cradle so that the connection is broken
also
: to end a telephone conversation
2
: to snag or cause to snag so as to be immovable
a boat hung up on rocks
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