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
Synonyms
Examples of hinge in a Sentence
Verb
the outcome of the game hinged on a single play
Recent Examples on the WebLouis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024
The knee was a simple hinge, making the lower leg and foot act like a pendulum.
—Jothy Rosenberg, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Intricate brass finishes on doorknobs, hinges and drawer pulls add glimmer.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024
The hinges are visible but are considered pry-resistant.
—Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Mar. 2024
The pairs are built with subtle yet enchanting details: the pins at the hinges are inspired by the heraldic coat of arms of Solomeo, the Medieval hamlet where the brand is based.
—Max Berlinger, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2024
In my experience, nurturing cross-departmental collaboration within an organization hinges greatly on the relationship between the CEO and the CMO.
—Jonathan Kaufman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
In most cases, their eventual success hinges upon a slew of early-stage high-stakes decisions made under the paradigm of imperfect information.
—Columbia Business School - The Eugene Lang Entrepreneurship Center, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
The continued success of the unit in 2024 largely hinges not on the team’s ability to keep top free agents such as offensive linemen Connor Williams and Robert Hunt but on adding more talent and figuring out answers to what troubled the offense against tougher competition.
—Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2024
Melissa Houston, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
With your core engaged, hinge forward at the hips, pushing your butt back.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 30 Jan. 2024
For example, Reddit’s big selling point to investors is hinged almost entirely on AI providers paying big bucks to train their models on its user content.
—Sage Lazzaro, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024
Their effectiveness now hinges more on their experience and ability to understand client needs than on the size or location of their firm.
—Gina Riley, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Health plan market expansion hinges heavily on the integration of technology and processes that automate real-time provider data updates.
—Tammy Hawes, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Some are motivated by Senegal’s political turmoil — authorities delayed February’s presidential elections by 10 months — but the sudden draw seemed to hinge largely on social media posts and the spread of the route there.
—Baba Ahmed, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2024
Some are motivated by Senegal's political turmoil — authorities delayed February’s presidential elections by 10 months — but the sudden draw seemed to hinge largely on social media posts and the spread of the route there.
—Baba Ahmed, Quartz, 2 Mar. 2024
This is a shaky situation—one that hinges not just on refined product prices, but also whether Carl Icahn’s selling was a one-off or the start of a trend.
—Brett Owens, Forbes, 17 Feb. 2024
Noun
Led by a sense of smell 100 times keener than that of humans, the predators have crashed through windows, ripped tiles off roofs and torn solid wood doors off their hinges to get at leftover pizza in a refrigerator.
—Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024
The knee was a simple hinge, making the lower leg and foot act like a pendulum.
—Jothy Rosenberg, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Intricate brass finishes on doorknobs, hinges and drawer pulls add glimmer.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024
The hinges are visible but are considered pry-resistant.
—Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Mar. 2024
The pairs are built with subtle yet enchanting details: the pins at the hinges are inspired by the heraldic coat of arms of Solomeo, the Medieval hamlet where the brand is based.
—Max Berlinger, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2024
In my experience, nurturing cross-departmental collaboration within an organization hinges greatly on the relationship between the CEO and the CMO.
—Jonathan Kaufman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
In most cases, their eventual success hinges upon a slew of early-stage high-stakes decisions made under the paradigm of imperfect information.
—Columbia Business School - The Eugene Lang Entrepreneurship Center, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
The continued success of the unit in 2024 largely hinges not on the team’s ability to keep top free agents such as offensive linemen Connor Williams and Robert Hunt but on adding more talent and figuring out answers to what troubled the offense against tougher competition.
—Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2024
Verb
Both paths are viable, and the success hinges upon thoughtful consideration, thorough planning, and decisive action.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
With your core engaged, hinge forward at the hips, pushing your butt back.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 30 Jan. 2024
For example, Reddit’s big selling point to investors is hinged almost entirely on AI providers paying big bucks to train their models on its user content.
—Sage Lazzaro, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024
Their effectiveness now hinges more on their experience and ability to understand client needs than on the size or location of their firm.
—Gina Riley, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Health plan market expansion hinges heavily on the integration of technology and processes that automate real-time provider data updates.
—Tammy Hawes, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Some are motivated by Senegal’s political turmoil — authorities delayed February’s presidential elections by 10 months — but the sudden draw seemed to hinge largely on social media posts and the spread of the route there.
—Baba Ahmed, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2024
Some are motivated by Senegal's political turmoil — authorities delayed February’s presidential elections by 10 months — but the sudden draw seemed to hinge largely on social media posts and the spread of the route there.
—Baba Ahmed, Quartz, 2 Mar. 2024
This is a shaky situation—one that hinges not just on refined product prices, but also whether Carl Icahn’s selling was a one-off or the start of a trend.
—Brett Owens, Forbes, 17 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hinge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near hinge
Cite this Entry
“Hinge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hinge. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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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