as in swinging
to place on an elevated point without support from below
he dangled the string in front of the cat, hoping that it was in the mood for play
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 dangling
Tori Latham, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026
Cernan, the junior pilot, was outside, dangling—actually spinning, tumbling, and flailing—at the end of a long umbilical cord, completely unable to control his movements.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 Nov. 2025
Naru aside, Killer of Killers and Badlands have left a few dangling story threads.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Max Tani, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
But Donatella, with that trademark platinum blonde hair and a cigarette forever dangling from her mouth, was the one who kept the parties—and thus, the brand—raging.
—Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 30 Mar. 2026
Cheri, meanwhile, watched the Summit make history with her mom to her right and a USA soccer hat dangling from the seat in front of her.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
The woman in the chitenge was, by then, standing next to the cop, pinching her neck with one hand, dangling a set of keys in the other.
—Literary Hub, 27 Mar. 2026
On-screen, the emergencies are larger than life with firenadoes, dangling trailers and Murphy-bed mishaps ripped from real headlines.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
The nose of the aircraft appeared torn off, leaving mangled parts of the front of the plane dangling toward the ground.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
The toys have also become a status symbol, an IYKYK wink seen dangling from the purses of celebrities such as Rihanna, Dua Lipa and Blackpink’s Lisa.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 24 Mar. 2026
Video posted to social media by the sheriff’s office shows the dramatic rescue of the man, treading water near a red canoe before being hoisted into the air by a rescuer attached to a rope dangling from a helicopter.
—Alyce McFadden, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
While the design here is emphatically traditional, a dose of modern whimsy comes through with a dangling, multi-floor chandelier loosely inspired by jellyfish.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026
Cernan, the junior pilot, was outside, dangling—actually spinning, tumbling, and flailing—at the end of a long umbilical cord, completely unable to control his movements.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 Nov. 2025
Naru aside, Killer of Killers and Badlands have left a few dangling story threads.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
Patreon has recruited Substack talent by dangling sweeteners like revenue guarantees.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
But Donatella, with that trademark platinum blonde hair and a cigarette forever dangling from her mouth, was the one who kept the parties—and thus, the brand—raging.
—Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 30 Mar. 2026
Cheri, meanwhile, watched the Summit make history with her mom to her right and a USA soccer hat dangling from the seat in front of her.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
The woman in the chitenge was, by then, standing next to the cop, pinching her neck with one hand, dangling a set of keys in the other.
—Literary Hub, 27 Mar. 2026
On-screen, the emergencies are larger than life with firenadoes, dangling trailers and Murphy-bed mishaps ripped from real headlines.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
The nose of the aircraft appeared torn off, leaving mangled parts of the front of the plane dangling toward the ground.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
The toys have also become a status symbol, an IYKYK wink seen dangling from the purses of celebrities such as Rihanna, Dua Lipa and Blackpink’s Lisa.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 24 Mar. 2026
Video posted to social media by the sheriff’s office shows the dramatic rescue of the man, treading water near a red canoe before being hoisted into the air by a rescuer attached to a rope dangling from a helicopter.
—Alyce McFadden, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dangling
hanging
Adjective
-
To maintain the immersive illusion, Iñárritu eschewed traditional hanging fabric.—
Robert Lang,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Leaving either of those bare was a topic of discussion, Carney says; a trade-off between the goal of paying homage to Steinway’s legacy and getting enough hanging space.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dangling. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
