hanger-on
noun
hang·er-on
ˈhaŋ-ər-ˌȯn 
-ˌän
plural hangers-on
: one that hangs around a person, place, or institution especially for personal gain
Examples of hanger-on in a Sentence
almost overnight, the singer was a star, and almost overnight, he was surrounded by hangers-on who wanted something
Recent Examples on the Web
Decades after Julian’s vanishing there, the band and various hangers-on recall eerie incidents both in and out of the house—rooms full of occult literature; pub full of haunting photographs—as well as the glimmering stranger circling the Orpheus-esque Julian.
—
Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
Tiny hangers-on are tucked into pockets and cavort in crevices.
—Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Most of the remaining hangers-on were staging going-out-of-business sales.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
The book orbits around an art scandal that pulls in collectors, curators, philosophers and hangers-on.
—CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hanger-on
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Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
Tiny hangers-on are tucked into pockets and cavort in crevices.
—Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Most of the remaining hangers-on were staging going-out-of-business sales.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
The book orbits around an art scandal that pulls in collectors, curators, philosophers and hangers-on.
—CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hanger-on
Cite this Entry
“Hanger-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hanger-on. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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