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
Others joined out of a desire for belonging and community. Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 5 Mar. 2026 The shooter then gathers some belongings and walks back to her car. Anna McAllister, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
Schools like Community Preparatory School have served culturally and economically diverse students for decades, pairing rigorous academics with a deep commitment to belonging. Robert Bush, The Providence Journal, 5 Mar. 2026 Geographic and linguistic frameworks constrain movement; temporal frameworks constrain belonging. Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for belonging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belonging
Noun
  • In southern Chile, Nicole begins a search for her origins that leads her to uncover the hidden past of María, a woman marked by intimacy, silence and unresolved wounds where love and pain coexist, the synopsis runs.
    Ed Meza, Variety, 10 Mar. 2026
  • The specificity of her words — invoking Venus of Pompeii by name — anchors the message in place and time with remarkable intimacy.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Jalloh’s lengthy criminal history includes more than 30 arrests for charges of rape, assault, drug possession, property destruction, identity theft, trespassing, firing a weapon, grand larceny, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pickpocketing.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 9 Mar. 2026
  • After two decades of grinding — and in possession of generational wealth — Blackburn attempted retirement.
    Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Since many hotels usually have a couple pillows of different firmness levels on a bed, falling and staying asleep won’t be a fever dream no matter your sleeping position.
    Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Last week, the council voted 9–6 to direct the city manager to study moving its emergency operations, dispatch and service call center out of City Hall while devising funding plans for repairing the aging building, staying there and relocating.
    Devyani Chhetri, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • City residents will also see a novel referendum question on their ballots pertaining to an ordinance proposed by data center opponents that could give voters a say in approving large tax incentives for developers.
    Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Jurors were instructed to ignore news pertaining to the case.
    CBS News, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Many of Lyles’ classmates, meanwhile, came from wealth and privilege, and the differences were visible immediately — in the cars that pulled up outside the dorms, in the easy familiarity some students had with faculty, in the quiet assumptions about who belonged.
    Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Chalamet himself benefited greatly from familiarity with the world of ballet.
    Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • As a result, Chandra is good for a lot of things, but its limitations matter when considering those big questions above.
    Big Think, Big Think, 11 Mar. 2026
  • When our hour was nearly over, a Rikers representative ordered us to wind things down.
    Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Collin Sexton came of the bench to score 28 points for the Bulls (26-38), who have lost 16 of 19 after going 23-22 to start the season.
    Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The Knicks were held to less than 100 points for only the seventh time and had their fourth-worst three-point shooting performance of the season, going eight for 34.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Some recruited others through kinship networks.
    Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
  • That feeling of marking an end of an era resonated with the actors individually, too; Sophie Skelton acknowledged her deep kinship with her character, Brianna Randall Fraser.
    Carly Witteman, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Belonging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belonging. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

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