hang around

verb

hung around; hanging around; hangs around

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

Synonyms of hang around

• remain
• stay
• wait
• stick around

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

He's all suited up in a bright blue waterproof jacket, holding in his small hands a pair of binoculars that hang around his neck. — Janet W. Lee, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026

When questioned, Elliott told agents Kuester was a friend from college who reached out saying a random person was hanging around his father’s business. — Julia Coin updated July 31, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026

When the evening rolls around, skip the car and walk to the restaurants, bars, and boutiques that make this corner of Miami Beach such a fun place to hang around. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026

For example, different types of fish may swim together in large, blended schools to increase their odds of survival, while ostriches and zebras hang around each to avoid predators thanks to their respective scent and sight capabilities. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for hang around

• aboveground
• battleground
• belowground
• paperbound
• turnaround
• ultrasound
• underground
• wraparound
• abound
• aground
• astound
• background

Kids Definition

hang around

verb

informal

: to pass time or stay idly in or at

hung around the house all day