belonging

noun

be·long·ing | \ bi-ˈlȯŋ-iŋ

How to pronounce belonging (audio)

, bē-\

Definition of belonging

1 : possession —usually used in plural

2 : close or intimate relationship a sense of belonging

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Examples of belonging in a Sentence

her adoptive family gave the young girl a sense of belonging that she had never felt before packed up all their belongings and moved across the country

Recent Examples on the Web

Beauty 10 Slides There are key moments during the year when cleaning up and organizing your closet, personal belongings, and life, are a must. — Teen Vogue, "These Are The Best Makeup Organizers You’ll Find on Amazon," 19 Mar. 2019 Tangled in the wreckage were doors and seats that had been gouged out of place, while passengers’ belongings and glass from broken windows littered the accident site. — Amira El Masaiti, The Seattle Times, "7 killed, almost 80 injured in Morocco train derailment," 16 Oct. 2018 According to MailOnline, Meghan and Harry are packing up their belongings and moving into their permanent home: an apartment in Kensington Palace. — Jennifer Lance, Glamour, "Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are Moving Into Kensington Palace," 6 Oct. 2018 In fact, her music creates the invaluable message of belonging and importance that many of us may not have directly experienced otherwise. — Cameron Glover, Allure, "On Janelle Monáe and the Power of Representation for Queer Black Girls," 21 June 2018 After the $55,000 purchase was completed, on Feb. 19, 1903, two special trains carrying the first 55 families, their belongings and livestock pulled out of Mangum, Oklahoma, a farming community in the southwest corner of the state. — John Maccormack, San Antonio Express-News, "Old American colony in Mexico clings to its past," 18 May 2018 The chosen were given five minutes to gather their belongings and head into the San Ysidro Port of Entry for processing. — Gustavo Solis And David Hernandez, latimes.com, "About a third of caravan migrants enter U.S., but 'we won’t be happy until the last one of us gets through'," 3 May 2018 The Reyes family returned home to find that Harvey's wind and water had destroyed their truck, three automobiles, personal belongings and the first floor of the house. — Don Maines, Houston Chronicle, "Man who helped save Dickinson theater during Harvey needs heart transplant," 25 Mar. 2018 Rowe’s, belongings and tampered with her personal items because the pair were not getting along. — Britni Danielle, Essence.com, "What Is Privilege? White Roommate Who Harassed Black Student Jazzy Rowe Avoids Jail Time," 13 Mar. 2018

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

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Last Updated

21 Apr 2019

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Time Traveler for belonging

The first known use of belonging was in 1781

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