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
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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
Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Two broken floodlights could be seen dangling from a wire in the back of the house.
—Adam Sabes , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Last weekend, a 12-year-old girl was caught on video dangling from a Mammoth ski lift dozens of feet above the ground.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Plus, there’s plenty of narrative string left dangling at the end of the picture.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
On the wall behind her is a poster of a cat dangling from a tree branch, with the words hang in there!
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
The American, who was expected to be one of the biggest stars of the Games, limped into a tent for medical attention before being airlifted away by helicopter, dangling from a hoist cable with two people attending her.
—CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Vonn, who was expected to be one of the biggest stars of the games, limped into a tent for medical attention before being airlifted away by helicopter, dangling from a hoist cable with two people attending her.
—Graham Dunbar, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
As the vehicle pulls slowly away, Pretti kicks at the taillight and then delivers a second kick that shatters the red plastic and leaves the taillight dangling.
—Michael Biesecker, Fortune, 29 Jan. 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
The rescue helicopter was yellow, dangling her in the air over the jagged white Dolomites.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Two broken floodlights could be seen dangling from a wire in the back of the house.
—Adam Sabes , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Last weekend, a 12-year-old girl was caught on video dangling from a Mammoth ski lift dozens of feet above the ground.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Plus, there’s plenty of narrative string left dangling at the end of the picture.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
On the wall behind her is a poster of a cat dangling from a tree branch, with the words hang in there!
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
The American, who was expected to be one of the biggest stars of the Games, limped into a tent for medical attention before being airlifted away by helicopter, dangling from a hoist cable with two people attending her.
—CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Vonn, who was expected to be one of the biggest stars of the games, limped into a tent for medical attention before being airlifted away by helicopter, dangling from a hoist cable with two people attending her.
—Graham Dunbar, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
As the vehicle pulls slowly away, Pretti kicks at the taillight and then delivers a second kick that shatters the red plastic and leaves the taillight dangling.
—Michael Biesecker, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dangling
hanging
Adjective
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Max Houser 6-Tier Hanging Closet Shelf Instantly create more hanging space with this fabric shelving unit that makes use of otherwise dead vertical space.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Dec. 2025
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Of the other methods – including electrocution, lethal gas and hanging – lethal injection had the highest botch rate of more than 7%. ‘An embrace of brutality’ Still, states have remained averse to the firing squad, a position that experts who spoke to CNN believe stems from its overt violence.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dangling. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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