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
Eighty Black residents of Portsmouth packed their belongings and headed north, hoping to resettle in a less hostile part of Ohio. Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025 Bags stuffed with Iguaran's belongings leaned against a wall next to the hammock. Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
Psychological science tells us that belonging and optimism are key to well-being. Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025 Research shows belonging is the basis for thriving – whether that is student degree completion or employee retention. Christopher Whitt, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for belonging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belonging
Noun
  • Your curiosity leads toward intimacy.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Reviewing the product for The New York Times, the journalist and parent Amanda Hess expressed her surprise at how deftly Grem sought to create connection and intimacy in conversation.
    Damon Beres, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The Maldives also maintains a complete ban on the import, sale, distribution, possession and use of electronic cigarettes and vaping products, regardless of age.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The Rainbows have been effective in the red zone, scoring on 97% of their possessions inside the 20-yard line.
    Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The sale includes statement shoes like pink lace-up boots plus cozy designs perfect for staying warm all winter like insulated boat shoes, water-resistant boots, and even waterproof boots for rainy days.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2025
  • For events with formalities, like speeches, cake-cutting, or a holiday toast, Hayes advises staying until those key moments are complete.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The misdemeanor charge is for petty theft, pertaining to the removal of a campaign sign.
    Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The lawmakers put forth requests for improvement, particularly pertaining to strengthening safeguards against unfair labor practices and incentivizing onshoring.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Here is the iron form of the grief memoir, no less powerful for its deep familiarity.
    James Wood, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Seven Castain’s knowledge of ‘Seinfeld’ Castain was born in 2004, and her familiarity with a TV show is limited since Seinfeld signed off in ‘98.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Those on nine-month contracts must devote 480 hours to instruction — which can include things like lab work, clinical work and internships in addition to lecture time — over the course of the contract.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Because, in waking life, the truth is that things haven’t been the same since the strain of raising two young kids started to wear on their parents.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Its share price collapsed a few months after going public, losing a third of its value since the start of the year before Monday's news.
    NPR, NPR, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The honks of wild Canada geese, for instance, fresh out of the Arctic and now high in the clouds going south, signal a change in seasons for me.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • In Texas, kids taken into state custody leave a kinship placement twice as often as the nationwide rate, according to a USA TODAY analysis of federal data tracking kids removed from their homes in a four-year period.
    Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Murphy, who like Steininger and Yurkevich has been exploring the question for its own sake, independent of his day job, feels a kinship across the centuries with Prince Rupert.
    Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Belonging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belonging. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

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