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
David Calder2
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
Judy BlumeWhen 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
Sam MosesExamples of hang around in a Sentence
if you hang around until my husband gets home, you can meet him
Recent Examples on the Web
On May 25, 1950, Lasker was hanging around at a firehouse when a Green Hornet Streetcar collided with a gasoline truck at 63rd and State streets, causing a horrific fire that killed 34 people.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025
Also, there is this human white boy with dreads, Spider, a Tarzan type who hangs around the Sullys with the help of an oxygen mask.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
My dad hung around with Abbie Hoffman a bit back in the day.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 17 Dec. 2025
In cooler, drier air, those droplets hang around longer, raising the chances of infecting people nearby — the same effect can happen with air conditioning, which also reduces humidity.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hang around
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.
Adam Harrington, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025
Also, there is this human white boy with dreads, Spider, a Tarzan type who hangs around the Sullys with the help of an oxygen mask.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
My dad hung around with Abbie Hoffman a bit back in the day.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 17 Dec. 2025
In cooler, drier air, those droplets hang around longer, raising the chances of infecting people nearby — the same effect can happen with air conditioning, which also reduces humidity.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hang around
Cite this Entry
“Hang around.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hang%20around. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share