belonging 1 of 2

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
The 61-year-old loves the hunt, and sifting through old belongings and hidden gems is what keeps him going. Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2025 Someone who shows up, offers encouragement, and provides a sense of safety and belonging. Laura Rivera, Denver Post, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
Your attention turns toward your home, your emotional safety, and your sense of belonging. Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 19 Oct. 2025 Phase 2 during the 2024-2025 school year focused on strengthening a culture of belonging. Marsha Sutton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for belonging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belonging
Noun
  • Menopause is a perfect time to expand your definition of intimacy, and that means removing the shame from having open and honest conversations.
    Essence, Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Expect brutally honest exchanges around money, trust and intimacy.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Rephayah Oselmo is wanted by the state of New York in connection with murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon, according to a news release from the Marshals Service.
    NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Gilgeous-Alexander drew a foul on Durant, who was playing tight defense, on the Thunder’s final possession.
    Joe Vardon, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The V-neck is styled in two sections that wrap around each other at the front, and the tall waist is fitted to flatter your figure while staying stretchy and comfortable.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Guests staying at Villa Beatrice get 24/7 access to a butler, who can arrange private dinners, shopping experiences at designer boutiques (Louis Vuitton and Pucci among them), lounge chairs and umbrellas at Bagni Fiore, and much more.
    Laura Itzkowitz, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Expressing a desire to move forward, group President Mary Soriano invoked a clause in California code pertaining to corporations to fill five board spots.
    Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
  • People from across all walks of life are asked around 50 questions pertaining to the economy, personal finances, job prospects, inflation expectations and the like.
    Joanne Hsu, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Ron Vachris, shaking hands and greeting babies, had the mild civic familiarity of a small-town mayor.
    Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Simply put, executives from digital outlets like Roku have more familiarity with new systems of advertising that more big marketers are tapping with greater regularity.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Aneurysms form when a weak spot develops in a blood vessel wall, often due to things like high blood pressure, smoking, or genetics.
    Sohaib Imtiaz, Health, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Meghan’s travel formula is warm, comfortable, and practical for holiday getaways, which is why now is a good time to copy her pieces before things really get busy.
    Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The parts of California where going someplace requires getting on a highway and driving for thirty minutes feel like both Costco’s native habitat and my own.
    Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The show does not reveal how the sentencing ends up going, instead concluding on a hopeful yet uncertain note.
    Grace Byron, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • With back-to-back fights with Baragon and a gigantic octopus (who arrives with no explanation), Frankenstein’s kinship with King Kong – a simplistic empathy and wrestler-like physical prowess – has never felt clearer.
    Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Impressing after a miserable spell in the Premier League, the Brazilian winger may well find kinship on the opposing flank Saturday.
    Jack Bantock, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Belonging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belonging. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

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