hinge

1 of 2

noun

ˈhinj 

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

Illustration of hinge

• hinge 1a

hinge

2 of 2

verb

hinged; hinging

intransitive verb

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

… we pulled within feet of a 12-foot crocodile, his huge jaw hinging open in warning to reveal a toothy grin.

—Andrea Bartz

2

: to be contingent on a single consideration or point

—used with on or upon

the prosecution's case hinges on the DNA evidence

transitive verb

: to attach by or furnish with hinges

Synonyms of hinge

Verb

• depend

Examples of hinge in a Sentence

Verb

the outcome of the game hinged on a single play

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The repair experts at iFixit took the iPhone Duo apart and used CT scans to get a closer look at its hinge. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026

Consumers said the device's inner screen broke down the middle near the hinge where the phone folds, leaving a line across the display. — Maya Blackstone, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026

Verb

Corporate chiefs today are more replaceable (and replaced) than ever, as the job has come to hinge more on handling constituencies of investors, regulators, and us in the media than on mastery of any particular corporate engine room. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2026

The decision hinged over what judges said was the plaintiffs' inability to define the market for players — a key point in determining how those players are being harmed by being declared ineligible. — ABC News, 6 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English heng; akin to Middle Dutch henge hook, Old English hangian to hang

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1719, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing hinge

• butt hinge
• hinge joint
• hinge on
• piano hinge

Rhymes for hinge

• binge
• cringe
• fringe
• singe
• tinge
• twinge
• impinge
• infringe
• syringe

Kids Definition

hinge

1 of 2 noun

ˈhinj 

1

: 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