: a source of mental or emotional difficulty
broadly
: problem
hung up; hanging up; hangs up
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
1
: to break a telephone connection
2
: to become stuck or snagged so as to be immovable
Examples of hang-up in a Sentence
Noun
low self-esteem is only one of his many hang-ups
Recent Examples on the Web
Ray Stern, AZCentral.com, 14 July 2025
Most of the hang-up was over the requirement for up to seven days’ notice before officers could break up encampments, which the council reduced to three days before delaying a final vote until June 30.
—Tim Clouser, The Washington Examiner, 1 July 2025
Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
The old women are already hanging up their robes, totally naked underneath.
—Rebecca Chace
july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hang-up
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.
Noun
Like Livingston, a major hang-up for Shamp was the lack of preparation for the likely impact on Arizona's budget because of federal Medicaid cuts.
—Ray Stern, AZCentral.com, 14 July 2025
Most of the hang-up was over the requirement for up to seven days’ notice before officers could break up encampments, which the council reduced to three days before delaying a final vote until June 30.
—Tim Clouser, The Washington Examiner, 1 July 2025
Verb
Peterson, 40, hung up his cleats just a few years after playing for Washington.
—Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
The old women are already hanging up their robes, totally naked underneath.
—Rebecca Chace
july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hang-up
Cite this Entry
“Hang-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hang-up. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share