hang around

verb

hung around; hanging around; hangs around
Synonyms of hang aroundnext
1
intransitive, informal
a
: to pass time idly or in relaxing or socializing
spent the day just hanging around with her friends
b
: to stay in or at a place for a period of time
had to hang around for over an hour, waiting for the bus
She didn't feel like hanging around at the club afterward …David Calder
2
transitive informal : to pass time or stay in or at (a place) or in the company of (someone)
hung around the house all day
My mother doesn't want me hanging around the park alone.Judy Blume
When he was 10 years old, Lester taught him-self to windsurf by hanging around the Europeans and Canadian tourists who rented boards on the beach at Varadero.Sam Moses

Examples of hang around in a Sentence

if you hang around until my husband gets home, you can meet him
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While some clips show people singing and dancing along with the movie or as the film's credits roll, other viral videos show fans hanging around long after the film was over to continue the party. Kate Perez, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026 With so many angels hanging around, the head of a pin problem is small potatoes given the current state of the world. Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026 Perhaps that’s why Arden and the book writers have added a brief post-curtain kicker that’s worth hanging around for, a nice little narrative bite in a musical that has no shortage of them. Greg Evans, Deadline, 26 Apr. 2026 White’s struggles have helped the seventh-seeded Sixers hang around in a series most viewed as a clear mismatch, especially with star center Joel Embiid (appendectomy) yet to suit up for Philadelphia. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hang around

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of hang around was in 1823

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hang around.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hang%20around. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

hang around

verb
informal
: to pass time or stay idly in or at
hung around the house all day
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