1
as in to veg out
to spend time doing nothing
a tea house near campus where many university students could be seen hanging about
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to play
to spend time in aimless activity
we'll be hanging about at the pub if you need us
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of hang about
On Monday, May 18, a 7%-illuminated crescent will hang about two degrees from Venus, with Jupiter about 20 degrees above.
—
Jamie Carter, Space.com, 15 May 2026
The plush beds have new headboards, tapestries by local artist Elena Carozzi now hang about the beds, bespoke wardrobes and minibars were created in dark wood and straw, and the bathrooms have been redone in green Cipollino marble.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
Though the sisters are supposedly first-generation Italian American, no whiff of the old country hangs about Kay; Dorothy will at least spit out a few words in Italian.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Turquoise pearl, and azure line the space, and a cylindrical hanging light sculpture made of hundreds of white and gold ceramic fish hangs about the lounge seating area.
—Kristin Braswell, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
The hot air just hangs about, causing the dish to cook unevenly with some spots nearly raw and others burnt.
—New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2025
The student was found hanging about 50 feet up in a tree with the open chute, Metro Nashville Police Department said on X Saturday.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
Despite Dickens’ canonical reputation, the author of door-stoppers such as Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickeleby, the stench of the entrepreneurial still hangs about him.
—Literary Hub, 21 July 2025
Jamie Carter, Space.com, 15 May 2026
The plush beds have new headboards, tapestries by local artist Elena Carozzi now hang about the beds, bespoke wardrobes and minibars were created in dark wood and straw, and the bathrooms have been redone in green Cipollino marble.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
Though the sisters are supposedly first-generation Italian American, no whiff of the old country hangs about Kay; Dorothy will at least spit out a few words in Italian.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Turquoise pearl, and azure line the space, and a cylindrical hanging light sculpture made of hundreds of white and gold ceramic fish hangs about the lounge seating area.
—Kristin Braswell, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
The hot air just hangs about, causing the dish to cook unevenly with some spots nearly raw and others burnt.
—New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2025
The student was found hanging about 50 feet up in a tree with the open chute, Metro Nashville Police Department said on X Saturday.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
Despite Dickens’ canonical reputation, the author of door-stoppers such as Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickeleby, the stench of the entrepreneurial still hangs about him.
—Literary Hub, 21 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hang about
Verb
-
Just take care of your[self], and veg out.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Jan. 2026
-
This set is damn near professional-wear, with a blazer-style top and contrast piping for those who like to veg out with dignity.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Sometimes there would be groups of young men along the sidewalks by the entrance to the pool, playing a game with coins thrown against a wall.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
More screen time is given over to her burgeoning friendship with firebrand suffragette Mary, played by singer Lily Allen in a deliberately anachronistic performance — her forthright speech and manner beamed in directly from the 21st century.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
After breaking a sweat, kick back by the zen outdoor infinity pool.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
This bedrock of the community is the place to sip frozen pina coladas and kick back.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Another horny couple on vacation couldn’t wait until their flight landed to fool around and insisted on doing so in the plane's cabin.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
And this fool is taking it with the fools around him.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Dragstrem, who focuses more on production, has messed around with it but was left unsatisfied; McGill, who’s more lyrics-driven, wants nothing to do with the tech.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
30 May 2026
-
Winners Week 1 in primetime The schedule makers weren’t messing around with the opening week of games under the lights.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The elastic bands also make the sandals easy to slide on for airport security, quick coffee runs, or poolside lounging.—
Aashna Gheewalla,
PEOPLE,
31 May 2026
-
Dreaming of lounging on a pink sand beach this summer?—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Some were drawn first to the language and its interna ideo, only to later realize the travel benefits involved; others had learned the language specifically to bum around.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
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That means, as some critics of the ban have pointed out, that 18-year-olds will almost certainly bum cigarettes from older friends—the same way younger teens have acquired them since time immemorial.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
19 May 2026
Verb
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In another Amsterdam photo, a pair of identical world globes, recalling Ghirri’s passion for cartography and atlases, rest on matching supports to conjure that oldest of surrealist tropes, a pair of staring eyes.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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Eventually, your eyes come to rest on the hotel’s facade—an impressive grid of local stone and wooden louvers that is Urquiola’s ode to the oeuvre of Rationalist architect Giuseppe Terragni.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hang about.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hang%20about. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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