hang-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈhaŋ-ˌəp 

: a source of mental or emotional difficulty

She has a lot of hang-ups about money.

broadly : problem

hang up

2 of 2

verb

hung up; hanging up; hangs up

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

1

: to break a telephone connection

2

: to become stuck or snagged so as to be immovable

Synonyms of hang-up

Noun

• demon

Examples of hang-up in a Sentence

Noun

low self-esteem is only one of his many hang-ups

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The tension between principle and practicality — the very thing that could make this story interesting — gets mostly waved off, sublimated instead into interpersonal hang-ups. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026

Simon is often his own worst enemy, letting his self-absorption and professional hang-ups derail him. — Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026

Verb

The new restaurant will expand upon the whimsical backstory of Crafty Coyote — the pie-thieving crook from the nearby Knott’s Bear-y Tales dark ride who has hung up his outlaw ways to open the new eatery next door. — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 6 Aug. 2026

The story first gained traction when Story's granddaughter, Natalie Lauren Sims, shared a video showing Jordan's picture hung up on her grandmother's wall alongside family portraits inside her grandmother's home. — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1952, in the meaning defined above

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for hang-up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

hang-up

1 of 2 noun

ˈhaŋ-ˌəp

: a source of mental or emotional difficulty

hang up

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)haŋ-ˈəp

1

a

: to place on a hook or hanger

hang up your coat

b

: to replace a telephone receiver on the cradle so that the connection is broken

also : to end a telephone conversation

2

: to snag or cause to snag so as to be immovable

a boat hung up on rocks