dangle

verb

dan·gle | \ ˈdaŋ-gəl

dangled; dangling\ ˈdaŋ-g(ə-)liŋ

Definition of dangle

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to hang loosely and usually so as to be able to swing freely

2 : to be a hanger-on or a dependent

3 : to occur in a sentence without having a normally expected syntactic relation to the rest of the sentence (such as climbing in "Climbing the mountain the cabin came into view") a dangling participle a dangling modifier

transitive verb

1 : to cause to dangle : swing dangled her feet in the water

2a : to keep hanging uncertainly

b : to hold out as an inducement

dangle

noun

Definition of dangle (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the action of dangling

2 : something that dangles

Other Words from dangle Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about dangle

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Synonyms for dangle

Synonyms: Verb

hang, sling, suspend, swing

Examples of dangle in a Sentence

Verb

Let your arms dangle at your sides. She sat on the edge of the pool, dangling her feet in the water. He dangled a piece of string in front of the cat. The money she dangled in front of him wasn't enough to convince him to sell. They refused to accept the money that was dangled before their eyes.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Her wavy blonde hair was pulled up into a high bun with two strands dangling on either side of her face. — Nicole Saunders, Harper's BAZAAR, "Sophie Turner Wears a Teeny-Tiny Mugler Dress While Promoting X-Men: Dark Phoenix," 26 Apr. 2019 His left eye was missing, and his right eye was dangling on his cheek. — Travis Fedschun, Fox News, "Emmett Till's classmate, 'girlfriend' speaks out for first time, says he was 'nice kid with a nice smile'," 30 Aug. 2018 And yesterday the designer provided the first hint via a bag that was spotted dangling on the arm of none other than Lady Gaga. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, "Lady Gaga Takes Hedi Slimane’s New Celine Look to the Venice Film Festival," 30 Aug. 2018 The photos on their website show Scare Tape dangling off the prow of a boat, the railings of a dock, and in a fruit garden — not pasted to residential windows. — Rachel Becker, The Verge, "These glittering ribbons scare away baby birds and also my focus," 24 Apr. 2018 Syeda and her colleagues set out on crotch-adjacent chemistry by tweaking and swapping atoms and structures dangling off the sides of ouabain’s structure. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "Poison arrows inspire new male contraceptive, scientists report," 21 Jan. 2018 The collection features porcelain trays, coasters, and boxes emblazoned with a silver hemp leaf on a black background or a sultry pair of red lips dangling a smoke. — Jennifer Milne, ELLE Decor, "In Time for 4/20, the Ultimate and Uber-Chic Weed Accessories from Jonathan Adler," 19 Apr. 2019 To get into this kiss, sit on your partner’s lap either straddling them or with your legs dangling to one side of your partner’s body. — Jasmine Gomez, Seventeen, "17 Kissing Positions You Should Try During Your Next Makeout Session," 9 Apr. 2019 Above us, some of the crew dangled in harnesses like so many Spidermen, their movements as improvised as the heady jazz playing through the gallery’s sound system. — Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle, "Museum’s ‘Big Bambú’ installation invites physical interaction," 8 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Extra square footage can be put underground, often dug while the old Victorian dangles in the air above it. — Nancy Keates, WSJ, "The Millionaires Living in the Mining Cabins," 1 Nov. 2018 Wiring dangles from ceilings in rooms that look out at the massive grey slabs of the separation barrier. — Washington Post, "AP PHOTOS: Unfinished Palestinian parliament a grim symbol," 6 July 2018 In a meat market, rows of aged prosciutto dangle from steel rods above displays of sausages, fresh cuts of meats, and an almost-holy litany of salumi: mortadella, prosciutto pratomagno, pancetta, coppa, lardo, mondiola, biruldu. — Necee Regis, BostonGlobe.com, "Resort’s Tuscany cooking class has all the right ingredients," 2 July 2018 The unidentifiable figure, an Iranian Everyman, seems about to take a cautious step forward — or, more sinisterly, dangles suspended in space. — Christopher Knight, latimes.com, "In Iranian art show at LACMA, the past wrestles with the present," 4 June 2018 In his hand, a semi-automatic weapon dangles from his fingers. — De Elizabeth, Teen Vogue, ""13 Reasons Why" Season 2's School Shooting Plot Presents a Dangerous "What If?"," 21 May 2018 With four Sharks draped over him, Tuch skated through all of them, left a little dangle and dazzled with a finish that went straight past Martin Jones. — Kristen Nelson, SI.com, "Stanley Cup Playoffs Roundup: Golden Knights, Fleury Post 7-0 Beatdown Against Sharks in Game 1," 27 Apr. 2018 Therefore, a pardon dangle, especially one by the president’s private lawyer, could twist up not only the client, but also the lawyer, in a criminal obstruction probe. — Sean Illing, Vox, "I asked 11 legal experts if Trump’s lawyer obstructed justice," 29 Mar. 2018 First, a dangle of a pardon is different than the issuance of a pardon. — Sean Illing, Vox, "I asked 11 legal experts if Trump’s lawyer obstructed justice," 29 Mar. 2018

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