: a despicable or miserable person
Examples of hangdog in a Sentence
Adjective
He came home with a hangdog expression on his face.
“Why do you look so hangdog today?” she asked
Recent Examples on the Web
Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2023
The man is Calum (Normal People's Paul Mescal), dangling on the cusp of 32, handsome in a hangdog way, with an arm in a cast and a big smile that can't entirely hide the distress that nips at his joy.
—A.a. Dowd, Chron, 9 Nov. 2022
Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
In contrast with Reda’s hangdog melancholy, Chatila is vitality itself: a steaming force of focused energy that explodes in frustrated cruelty when someone gets in his way.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hangdog
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Adjective
The Movie finds its titular alpha wolf Scott McCall (Tyler Posey) a teenager no more, but still struggling with the same hangdog loneliness.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2023
The man is Calum (Normal People's Paul Mescal), dangling on the cusp of 32, handsome in a hangdog way, with an arm in a cast and a big smile that can't entirely hide the distress that nips at his joy.
—A.a. Dowd, Chron, 9 Nov. 2022
Noun
Whether driven by social apathy or artistic passion, James—effortlessly played by O’Connor with hangdog elegance—registers as a compelling update of the ’70s American male loner archetype for another dispiriting, directionless time.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
In contrast with Reda’s hangdog melancholy, Chatila is vitality itself: a steaming force of focused energy that explodes in frustrated cruelty when someone gets in his way.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hangdog
Cite this Entry
“Hangdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hangdog. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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