: 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
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
Every actor works within a range that’s believable to them as performers, even Covino’s hangdog shiftiness as Paul, and Covino, as director, doesn’t push them outside of their comfort zone.
—Katie Walsh, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 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
Back in his day, hangdog stoner Bob (DiCaprio) used to be quite the revolutionary as the demolitions expert for a small but effective anti-establishment outfit called the French 75.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
Every actor works within a range that’s believable to them as performers, even Covino’s hangdog shiftiness as Paul, and Covino, as director, doesn’t push them outside of their comfort zone.
—Katie Walsh, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 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 7 Oct. 2025.
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