hung up

1 of 2

adjective

1

: delayed or detained for a time

2

: anxiously nervous

3

: having great or excessive interest in or preoccupation with someone or something

—usually used with on

they broke up but he's still hung up on her

hung up on winning

hung up

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of hang up

Synonyms of hung up

Adjective

• obsessed
• worried

Examples of hung up in a Sentence

Adjective

Many people are hung up about their physical appearance.

parents of a toddler who are already hung up about her getting into a good college

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Officers said a person called in the shooting and quickly hung up. — Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026

Family members were told Miller called 911 shortly after midnight, didn’t say anything and hung up. — Jessie Christopher Smith, Oklahoman, 7 Apr. 2026

In 2021, at 39 years old, Lloyd hung up her cleats professionally. — Sari Hitchins, Parents, 6 Apr. 2026

Just then the lights in the apartment flicked off and on, then off again, leaving them in the dark, so Louise hung up. — Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1878, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hung up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

hung up

adjective

1

: delayed or detained for a time

2

: anxiously nervous

3

: much involved or concerned with something or someone

hung up on winning