hangout

1 of 2

noun

hang·​out ˈhaŋ-ˌau̇t 

: a favorite place for spending time

also : a place frequented for entertainment or for socializing

hang out

2 of 2

verb

hung out; hanging out; hangs out

1

intransitive : to protrude and droop

a dog with its tongue hanging out

2

intransitive informal : to spend time idly or in relaxing or socializing

just hanging out by the pool

My mother told me not to hang out in bars because the sort of people I would meet there were the sort of people who hang out in bars.

—Calvin Trillin

Traditionally, most owners [of sports teams] are rich egomaniacs eager to hang out with athletes and get their names in the paper.

—George Vecsey

3

transitive : to display (something) outside as an announcement to the public

hang out a sign/banner

—used chiefly in the phrase hang out a/one's shingle in the figurative sense "to start a business, begin working professionally"

Publishing was not as complicated a business … when young Alfred Knopf hung out his shingle nearly 70 years ago.

—John F. Baker

Back then big L.A. law firms rarely hired Jews … . So Sterling hung out a shingle in Boyle Heights and became a tireless advocate for his old neighbors, handling everything from divorces to personal injury cases.

—Franz Lidz

Synonyms

Noun

• haunt

Examples of hangout in a Sentence

Noun

The park was their favorite hangout.

a favorite hangout of senior citizens is the local community center

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Swift and Clark’s gameday hangout had been a long time coming, with the pop star inviting the basketball player to accompany her on a Chiefs outing way back in November. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 22 July 2025

That means this one can be used as a storage shed and a hangout space, or even a spare garage for golf carts and riding mowers. —Clint Davis, People.com, 20 July 2025

Verb

Jeffrey Epstein was an extremely wealthy guy who hung out with some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in our country and the world. —Anna Commander adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025

As scores of people ran for cover, the 17-year-old suspect, who was hanging out with the 16-year-old shooter, turned and fired toward the rival group, according to cops. —Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 22 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1893, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hangout

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

hangout

noun

hang·​out ˈhaŋ-ˌau̇t 

: a favorite place for spending time