Illustration of hinge
- hinge 1a
1
a
: a jointed or flexible device on which a door, lid, or other swinging part turns
b
: a flexible ligamentous joint
c
: a small piece of thin gummed paper used in fastening a postage stamp in an album
2
: a determining factor : turning point
hinged; hinging
1
: to swing on or as if on a hinge
These thoughtful amenities include … an outdoor patio TV that hinges outward toward the pool …—
Paul Takahashi
Paul Takahashi… we pulled within feet of a 12-foot crocodile, his huge jaw hinging open in warning to reveal a toothy grin.—Andrea Bartz
Andrea Bartz2
: to be contingent on a single consideration or point
—used with on or upon
the prosecution's case hinges on the DNA evidence
: to attach by or furnish with hinges
Examples of hinge in a Sentence
Verb
the outcome of the game hinged on a single play
Recent Examples on the Web
Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025
Handmade in Japan, Akoni styles often feature titanium, plus proprietary hinges, screws, side shields, and adjustable temples that echo the intricate inner workings of timepieces.
—Naomi Rougeau, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2025
Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025
The film’s eagerness to hinge so much of its plot on AI — evolving another prescient detail of King’s text into the present — creates an unavoidable tension with the outmoded production demands of Killian’s show, a tension that Brolin is asked to wave away with a single line of dialogue.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hinge
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Noun
Treatment hinges upon the degree of the injury.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025
Handmade in Japan, Akoni styles often feature titanium, plus proprietary hinges, screws, side shields, and adjustable temples that echo the intricate inner workings of timepieces.
—Naomi Rougeau, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
Thanks to hinged branches and pre-strung lights, setup takes less than one hour.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025
The film’s eagerness to hinge so much of its plot on AI — evolving another prescient detail of King’s text into the present — creates an unavoidable tension with the outmoded production demands of Killian’s show, a tension that Brolin is asked to wave away with a single line of dialogue.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hinge
Cite this Entry
“Hinge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hinge. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hinge
1 of 2 noun1
: a jointed piece on which a door, lid, or other swinging part turns
2
: the joint between valves of a bivalve's shell
hinge
2 of 2 verb
hinged; hinging
1
: to attach by or provide with hinges
2
: to hang or turn as if on a hinge : depend
our success hinges on this decision
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