hang in

verb

hung in; hanging in; hangs in

intransitive verb

informal : to refuse to be discouraged or intimidated : to keep going, trying, or working in a difficult situation

… did not hang in long enough to win even a battle.

—Marvin E. Frankel

Hoping to hang in until some series he works on runs five years and makes him $50 million in syndication …

—Chris Chase

—often used in the phrase hang in there

If there was ever a mismatched couple it was this one, but the children begged them to hang in there.

—Joseph Wambaugh

If she hung in there long enough, he would change. It just took a lot of patience with a little reasoning.

—Gloria Naylor

Examples of hang in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The goal was to simulate how someone would actually use a cooler—whether at the beach, at a campsite, or hanging in the backyard—to figure out which models could really keep up. —Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Aug. 2025

With Musk threatening to fund primary challenges against Republicans who voted for the bill, the fate of the legislation hung in the balance. —Eric Cortellessa, Time, 7 Aug. 2025

Even in an era of great change, a palpable sense of history hangs in the air. —Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2025

Portraits of President Donald Trump and Vice-President J. D. Vance hang in the lobby of 290 Broadway. —Mark Peterson, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

hang in

verb

informal

: to refuse to be discouraged or frightened

Hang in there, kid! Don't quit.