belonging 1 of 2

noun

bi-ˈlȯŋ-iŋ How to pronounce belonging (audio)
Definition of belongingnext
1
as in intimacy
the state of being in a very personal or private relationship the warm welcome they received from the community gave them a sense of belonging

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in possession
belongings plural transportable items that one owns packed up all their belongings and moved across the country

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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

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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
Inside the Mallahi family compound, a blast tore a crater through the roof and walls, leaving floral decorations, carpets and household belongings buried in rubble and shattered glass. — Amir Vahdat, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 The shortages are adding to the hardships of those living in temporary shelters after having lost homes and belongings. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
These connections form an invisible architecture of care and belonging. — Photovogue, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026 Some people argue that uniforms have a positive impact on the school environment by promoting confidence and a sense of belonging. — Amy Morin, Parents, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for belonging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belonging
  1. intimacy
  2. possession
  3. staying
  4. pertaining
  5. familiarity
  6. things
  7. going
  8. kinship
Noun
  • That creates a natural intimacy between players, coaches, staff and the city that surrounds it.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The film centers on Leo and Anne, whose relationship becomes caught in a cycle of attraction and separation as the boundaries between intimacy and dependence, care and control and presence and absence steadily begin to collapse.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of intimacy
Noun
  • Western Michigan won the rushing battle and dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for more than 40 minutes.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Mensah capped that drive with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Toney and the two connected on a 2-yard score on the next possession with Toney punctuating both TDs with a Heisman pose for the Hurricanes fans in that corner of the stadium.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of possession
Verb
  • Depending on the balance between the reward for staying silent (cooperating) and betrayal, the game stabilizes with everyone betraying everyone.
    — Chris Lee, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Joey King got one of the boxes, but the Kimmel family’s ears will be staying clean for a while.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of staying
Verb
  • The web portal will launch with a glossary of some 180 terms pertaining to AI designed to bring standardization to what has been an unruly moving target.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Those are some of the main items pertaining to working conditions that were codified in a memorandum of understanding between the NHL and NHL Players’ Association in June 2025.
    — Chris Johnston, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of pertaining
Noun
  • Some of that will come simply from familiarity with Denver’s offense.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • And so many comments assumed familiarity with the context for everyone else.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of familiarity
Noun
  • Erin then complains about her daughter and drones on about all sorts of things that no one can even pretend to care about.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2026
  • These were pretty innocuous in the grand scheme of things, but were hanging as a PR headache for Ferrari heading to its home race.
    — Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of things
Verb
  • After going behind early to a Kai Havertz goal, PSG had to remain patient, before gradually asserting their authority in the contest.
    — Tom Burrows, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The whole thing was essentially an American Cadillac crossed with an Italian coachbuilt exotic, at a time when Detroit was already going completely bonkers with automotive excess.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of going
Noun
  • Carrington in particular models what some have termed an ecofeminist approach, one that does not appropriate animals for the artist’s own self-revelation but instead develops kinship across species.
    — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Many here say that, despite Iceland’s European roots, the country feels just as much kinship with the United States – if not more.
    — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of kinship

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Cite this Entry

“Belonging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belonging. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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