hang-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈhaŋ-ˌəp 

: a source of mental or emotional difficulty

broadly : problem

hang up

2 of 2

verb

hung up; hanging up; hangs up

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

1

: to break a telephone connection

2

: to become stuck or snagged so as to be immovable

Synonyms

Noun

• demon
• torment

Examples of hang-up in a Sentence

Noun

low self-esteem is only one of his many hang-ups

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Big beauty business moguls get skin hang-ups and sensitivities too, and have to work at their skin just like the rest of us to enjoy that celebrity glow. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2025

The only hang-up Levy experienced was the issue of how to address William. —Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025

Verb

Sixty percent of customers have hung up on customer service agents and 34% have yelled at them. —Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025

When asked for comment about these endorsements, Pacheco said the allotted time for his interview with The Bee was over and hung up. —William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1952, in the meaning defined above

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for hang-up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

hang-up

1 of 2 noun

ˈhaŋ-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