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
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Hang around.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hang%20around. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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