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

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.
Sometimes, an older kid might hang around to provide help and motivation and good vibes for the preadolescents. Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 In 2022, just days before his 18th birthday, Chinese snowboarder Su Yiming found himself atop an Olympic podium with a gold medal hanging around his neck. Ben Church, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025 Afterward, Mazzulla, who was the starting point guard on a Final Four team at West Virginia, hung around to chat with reporters, then watched a follow-up game held between two teams of media members. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 15 Oct. 2025 Buford had noticed Hannah Vogan hanging around the benches on Kavanaugh Boulevard, a popular spot for Little Rock punk kids to congregate. David Hill, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025 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 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

hang around

verb
informal
: to pass time or stay idly in or at
hung around the house all day
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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