belonging 1 of 2

Definition of belongingnext

belonging

2 of 2

verb

present participle of belong
1
as in staying
to have or be in a usual or proper place your shoes belong in the closet, not in the middle of the living room where people will trip on them

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in pertaining
to be the property of a person or group of persons those textbooks belong to the school system and not to the students

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of belonging
Noun
Williams had particularly meticulous records of her belongings and their cost. Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 24 Mar. 2026 Olivia Vergiels, a Haleiwa resident, returned to her home to find her floor and belongings covered in thick mud. Isabel Yip, NBC news, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
The walk is a celebration of inclusion, friendship and belonging for children with special needs. Jessica Tzikas, Sun Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026 Just as that barrel pledge in season one was an emotional climax where characters got to come together on deck to experience something greater than themselves — a sense of community, belonging, and inspiration. Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for belonging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belonging
Noun
  • Burden internalized this pattern, of foregrounding the importance of the paterfamilias at the expense of real intimacy, of keeping up appearances despite the private pain.
    Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Materiality plays a key role in reinforcing this intimacy.
    Olga Garcia-Mayoral, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The Heat’s zone worked on several second-half possessions, but Miami still allowed too many open threes -- and had too many defensive breakdowns -- when the game was decided in the fourth quarter.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Bush is charged with murder, home invasion and criminal possession of a firearm, and is being held in lieu of a $2 million court set bond.
    Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Ford is also staying optimistic about the potential outcome of the conflict, focusing on what could be a huge economic opportunity if hostilities end and relations between Iran and the Gulf states improve.
    Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
  • On Monday, Schottenheimer was asked about staying connected to players, particularly Prescott, in the offseason.
    Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • This raises wildfire worries but also concerns pertaining to water resources, particularly in the Colorado River Basin, which has been mired in drought for years on end.
    Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
  • The arrest is one of multiple recent run-ins with law enforcement pertaining to Peters’ activities in Florida.
    Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • This allows users to build familiarity with the prediction market interface and test their strategies without risking real capital.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The answer depends largely on your familiarity with the vast world of high-end watchmaking—and where your personal collecting instincts tend to point.
    Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The Knicks only truly made things interesting in minutes the former Brooklyn Nets star and sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer spent on the bench on Tuesday.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Upstairs at Place, things are a little more formal.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • To meet his growing costs, Meraj had increased the price of a cup of tea from ten rupees to fifteen, a fifty-per-cent rise (in New York terms, like a cup of drip coffee going from just shy of four dollars to nearly six overnight).
    Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • McDowell is with 916 Community Alliance, going inside underserved community classrooms to help keep the peace.
    Steve Large, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • She’s especially revered in Shiite Islam because of her kinship with the imams.
    Mary Thurlkill, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026
  • How did Henley, a rock star living in a big house on Mulholland Drive, find such a kinship with Thoreau, who famously chose a simple, deliberate life amid nature?
    Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Belonging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belonging. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

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