hang·out
ˈhaŋ-ˌau̇t 
: a favorite place for spending time
also
: a place frequented for entertainment or for socializing
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
Calvin TrillinTraditionally, most owners [of sports teams] are rich egomaniacs eager to hang out with athletes and get their names in the paper.—George Vecsey
George Vecsey3
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
John F. BakerBack 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
Franz LidzSynonyms
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 WebIsabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024
The revered restaurant, with roots tracing back more than two centuries, was once a hangout for Buffalo Bill.
—David Enrich, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
Being completely isolated, Ocracoke was a popular hangout for pirates, including Blackbeard, who was captured nearby.
—Trudy Haywood Saunders, Travel + Leisure, 26 Mar. 2024
Meetings were often held in the basement of Polly’s, a MacDougal Street hangout established by anarchist Polly Holladay.
—Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024
Zachary and Pierce continued texting each other through April 2016, exchanging pictures of Zachary in drag and talking about potential future hangouts.
—Ben Shimkus, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2024
Lucky's Indoor Outdoor: A neighborhood hangout with a big patio, a 1970s trailer bar, food trucks, picnic tables and bocce.
—The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024
The 50-room hotel is centrally located by the Piazzetta, with three restaurants and bars on-site and its own private beach club, Da Gioia located at Marina Piccola, where many of Capri’s most renowned summer hangouts can be found.
—Amy Louise Bailey, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2024
At every Thursday home game of this Seattle Mariners affiliate, the Pups & Pints hangout at Modesto’s John Thurman Field doubles as an off-leash dog park.
—Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2024
Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024
Your mom may be the person who loves you the most in the world, but she's probably got a lot of other things going on, like traveling for work, working out, or hanging out with friends.
—Adrienne So Gear Team, WIRED, 13 Apr. 2024
Inside, discover the latest book releases and puzzles, hang out with kids or join their book club.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
Later, the three meet up and do what kids about to go to college do: hang out in a hotel room, share a beer and kiss.
—Amanda Luberto, The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2024
Throughout the week, family members hung out in the couple’s patio.
—Sadiba Hasan, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
According to police, Turner was hanging out with a group of people outside a liquor store on East 17th Street at 14th Avenue when a black sedan pulled up and a man got out.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese hung out and celebrated New Year’s Eve there.
—Carolyn Kellogg, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024
Where else can kids (and kids-at-heart) grab a Stitch or Moana Dole Whip and dip their toes in the pristine ocean before hanging out with Goofy during a pool party?
—Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2024
Noun
Pair it with a T-shirt and platform sandals for brunch with friends or a park hangout.
—Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024
The revered restaurant, with roots tracing back more than two centuries, was once a hangout for Buffalo Bill.
—David Enrich, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
Being completely isolated, Ocracoke was a popular hangout for pirates, including Blackbeard, who was captured nearby.
—Trudy Haywood Saunders, Travel + Leisure, 26 Mar. 2024
Meetings were often held in the basement of Polly’s, a MacDougal Street hangout established by anarchist Polly Holladay.
—Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024
Zachary and Pierce continued texting each other through April 2016, exchanging pictures of Zachary in drag and talking about potential future hangouts.
—Ben Shimkus, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2024
Lucky's Indoor Outdoor: A neighborhood hangout with a big patio, a 1970s trailer bar, food trucks, picnic tables and bocce.
—The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024
The 50-room hotel is centrally located by the Piazzetta, with three restaurants and bars on-site and its own private beach club, Da Gioia located at Marina Piccola, where many of Capri’s most renowned summer hangouts can be found.
—Amy Louise Bailey, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2024
At every Thursday home game of this Seattle Mariners affiliate, the Pups & Pints hangout at Modesto’s John Thurman Field doubles as an off-leash dog park.
—Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2024
Verb
The couple have since been spotted on multiple dinner dates and hanging out around Los Angeles.
—Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024
Your mom may be the person who loves you the most in the world, but she's probably got a lot of other things going on, like traveling for work, working out, or hanging out with friends.
—Adrienne So Gear Team, WIRED, 13 Apr. 2024
Inside, discover the latest book releases and puzzles, hang out with kids or join their book club.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
Later, the three meet up and do what kids about to go to college do: hang out in a hotel room, share a beer and kiss.
—Amanda Luberto, The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2024
Throughout the week, family members hung out in the couple’s patio.
—Sadiba Hasan, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
According to police, Turner was hanging out with a group of people outside a liquor store on East 17th Street at 14th Avenue when a black sedan pulled up and a man got out.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese hung out and celebrated New Year’s Eve there.
—Carolyn Kellogg, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024
Where else can kids (and kids-at-heart) grab a Stitch or Moana Dole Whip and dip their toes in the pristine ocean before hanging out with Goofy during a pool party?
—Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hangout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Hangout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hangout. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hangout
noun
hang·out
ˈhaŋ-ˌau̇t
: a favorite place for spending time
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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