belong

verb

be·​long bi-ˈlȯŋ How to pronounce belong (audio)
bē-
belonged; belonging; belongs

intransitive verb

1
a
: 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
2
a
: 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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The short film, commissioned and distributed by WePresent, won the Academy Award for best live action short film in 2022 and served as a meditation on belonging and rising intolerance. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025 Employees reported high levels of support for internal company efforts to increase belonging and inclusion. Michelle Travis, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Do kids belong in adult court? Geordie McClelland, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025 But most kitchen items do not belong there. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for belong

Word History

Etymology

Middle English belongen, from be- be- + longen "to be suitable" — more at long entry 5

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of belong was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Belong.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belong. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

belong

verb
be·​long bi-ˈlȯŋ How to pronounce belong (audio)
1
: to be in a proper place
this book belongs on the top shelf
2
a
: to be the property of a person or group of persons
the watch belongs to me
b
: to be a member
belongs to our club
3
: to be a part of : be connected with : go with
the parts belonging to the clock
4
: to be classified
whales belong among the mammals

More from Merriam-Webster on belong

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