belong

verb

be·long | \ bi-ˈlȯŋ

, bē-\

belonged; belonging; belongs

Definition of belong

intransitive verb

1a : to be suitable, appropriate, or advantageous a dictionary belongs in every home

b : to be in a proper situation a man of his ability belongs in teaching

2a : to be the property of a person or thing —used with to the book belongs to me

b : to be attached or bound by birth, allegiance, or dependency —usually used with to they belong to their homeland

c : to be a member of a club, organization, or set —usually used with to she belongs to a country club

3 : to be an attribute, part, adjunct, or function of a person or thing nuts and bolts belong to a car

4 : to be properly classified

auxiliary verb

chiefly Southern US and south Midland US : ought, must

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about belong

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Examples of belong in a Sentence

She was here for 15 years, but she never really belonged. your shoes belong in the closet, not in the middle of the living room where people will trip on them

Recent Examples on the Web

In April 2017, the Oscar-winning movie achieved the highest-grossing debut for a feature-length film based on an original screenplay — a title that previously belonged to the ‘90s classic, The Blair Witch Project. — De Elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Jordan Peele's "Us" Sets Box Office Records With $70 Million Opening," 24 Mar. 2019 Much of the furniture on display follows suit, from the vintage Napoleon III side chairs in the master bedroom to the settee in the living room, a family heirloom that belonged to Sims’s grandmother and maintains its original orange upholstery. — Jennifer Fernandez, House Beautiful, "The Paint Trick That Instantly Makes Your Home Look More Polished," 22 Mar. 2019 Eagle eye royal fans on Twitter quickly noted that Kate also wore a pair of pearl and diamond earrings that once belonged to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana to complete her ethereal look. — Maggie Maloney, Town & Country, "Kate Middleton Wore Princess Diana's Pearl and Diamond Earrings to the BAFTAs," 11 Feb. 2019 The girls took turns wearing a black and gold sequined bodycon dress by Dress the Population that originally belonged to Amanda. — Hannah Orenstein, Seventeen, "13 Things You Never Knew About Getting Dressed on "The Bachelor"," 16 Jan. 2019 Her smile is contagious, the kind that only belongs to that person in high school who was everyone’s best friend. — Candice Benbow, Glamour, "Meet KiKi Layne, the If Beale Street Could Talk Actress Everyone's Talking About," 27 Dec. 2018 The Duchess of Cambridge wore the Queen Mary's Lover's Knot tiara with Princess Diana's pearl teardrop earrings and a dazzling neckline that once belonged to the Queen Mother, according to royal jewelry expert Ella Kay. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "The First Photos of Kate Middleton Wearing an Special Honor From the Queen Are Breathtaking," 24 Oct. 2018 These were more recognizable as things that belong in an arcade, at least to my eyes. — Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, "This arcade is really vintage: Visiting San Francisco’s Musée Mécanique," 29 Sep. 2018 This is exactly the kind of play that belongs there. — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Mary Page Marlowe': Theater Review," 13 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'belong.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.