1
as in went
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
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Recent Examples of belonged
One sound belonged 200 miles away at the Grand Ole Opry.
—
Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Her central downtown location, which is around the block from the Camden County Police Department, protects some of the children who, at one point, belonged in gangs.
—Brandon Goldner, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Through archival footage, interviews and his own reflective narration, the film traces a life spent insisting that gay experience belonged not in code but in full daylight.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 9 Jan. 2026
For most of its history, the Metropolitan Opera didn’t think Black women belonged on its stage.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 8 Jan. 2026
The Qurans chosen by Mamdani belonged respectively to his grandfather and Arturo Schomburg, the Black writer and historian, according to The New York Times.
—Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 1 Jan. 2026
By the evening, Amber, Mario and all four of their children—14, 12, 9, and 5—had met him, each one instantly certain that Bruno belonged with them.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, even as the scrutiny died down, others in the neighborhood argued the children belonged elsewhere — and far away from their parents.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
The fans reveled in the rally, the thrashing of Goliath, the awareness that this World Series pitted two foes who belonged on the same field.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Her central downtown location, which is around the block from the Camden County Police Department, protects some of the children who, at one point, belonged in gangs.
—Brandon Goldner, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Through archival footage, interviews and his own reflective narration, the film traces a life spent insisting that gay experience belonged not in code but in full daylight.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 9 Jan. 2026
For most of its history, the Metropolitan Opera didn’t think Black women belonged on its stage.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 8 Jan. 2026
The Qurans chosen by Mamdani belonged respectively to his grandfather and Arturo Schomburg, the Black writer and historian, according to The New York Times.
—Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 1 Jan. 2026
By the evening, Amber, Mario and all four of their children—14, 12, 9, and 5—had met him, each one instantly certain that Bruno belonged with them.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, even as the scrutiny died down, others in the neighborhood argued the children belonged elsewhere — and far away from their parents.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
The fans reveled in the rally, the thrashing of Goliath, the awareness that this World Series pitted two foes who belonged on the same field.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belonged
Verb
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Police investigated, but the case went cold for five decades until DNA and genealogy recently led investigators to a suspect.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Maye went 7-of-10 for 48 yards and a touchdown, plus a strip sack, on quick throws.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Those special circumstance allegations include one for committing multiple murders and another for the killing of a witness, which Doyle said pertained to Virgen.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
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As one of his opening acts in office, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani swiftly reversed every executive order his predecessor, Eric Adams, signed after his indictment on federal corruption charges, including two that pertained to Israel.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Now back on the press circuit promoting The Moment as Charli xcx’s right-hand brat, Skarsgård stayed true to his subversive style by bringing a completely inappropriate, somehow incredibly sexy shoe to Sundance Film Festival.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
24 Jan. 2026
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The institutions that acted with clarity, adapted quickly, and stayed anchored to client’s needs didn’t just keep pace, but pulled ahead.—
Frank Sorrentino,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Labor secretary's staff members probed A member of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer's security detail with whom she has been accused of having a romantic relationship has been placed on administrative leave during a misconduct investigation, two people familiar with the matter said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
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In 1890 a monumental statue — California’s first State Historic Monument — was commissioned and placed on the hill overlooking the gold discovery site to mark the location of Marshall’s grave.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belonged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belonged. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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