pendulous

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adjective pen·du·lous \ ˈpen-jə-ləs , ˈpen-dyə- , -də- \

Definition of pendulous

1 archaic :poised without visible support

2 a :suspended so as to swing freely

branches hung with pendulous vines

b :inclined or hanging downward

pendulous jowls

3 :marked by vacillation, indecision, or uncertainty

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pendulousness

noun

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Examples of pendulous in a Sentence

a cow with a pendulous udder
a pendulous crystal chandelier dominated the ballroom

Recent Examples of pendulous from the Web

The flowers are produced on a long, pendulous stalk with dusky purple bracts.

— NOLA.com, "Banana plants: Answers to all your questions about care, pruning and harvesting fruit," 19 Aug. 2017
Beyond the midway’s pendulous ships and elliptical coasters rise the white spires of the talent show tent.

— anya groner, Longreads, "Twinless in Twinsburg," 9 June 2017
Davis taps his phone and large, pendulous, red lanterns gradually illuminate, revealing a row of 250-gallon copper fermentors.

— wayne curtis, WIRED, "One Man’s Quest to Make 20-Year-Old Rum in Just Six Days," 30 May 2017
President Donald Trump had just burst into a gala at his Mar-a-Lago property, in a pendulous red tie, an American flag on his lapel.

— james hamblin, The Atlantic, "One Cancer Hospital Will Stop Paying the Trump Organization," 23 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pendulous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of pendulous

Latin pendulus, from pendēre to hang

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1605

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pendulous Synonyms

Synonyms

bowed, bowing, declined, declining, descendant (also descendent), descending, drooping, droopy, hanging, hung, inclining, nodding, sagging, stooping, weeping

Antonyms

unbending, upright

Related Words

floppy, limp; dangling, falling, pendent (or pendant), suspended; dipping, sinking, slumping

Near Antonyms

erect, inflexible, rigid, stiff; elevated, raised, upraised

PENDULOUS Defined for English Language Learners

pendulous

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adjective

Definition of pendulous for English Language Learners

: hanging down and swinging freely

Medical Dictionary

pendulous

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adjective pen·du·lous \ -ləs \

medical Definition of pendulous

:inclined or hanging downward

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pendulous

Definition of pendulous

pendulousness

From the M-W Editors

Examples of pendulous in a Sentence

Recent Examples of pendulous from the Web

Origin and Etymology of pendulous

pendulous Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

PENDULOUS Defined for English Language Learners

pendulous

Definition of pendulous for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

pendulous

medical Definition of pendulous

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