as in sad
feeling unhappiness
"Why do you look so hangdog today?" she asked
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Recent Examples of hangdog
His Mickey is pleasantly mumbly, with a hangdog mien that’s often crosscut with a don’t-underestimate-me swagger.
—
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2022
Vic accepts his highly public and private humiliation with hangdog equanimity.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 Mar. 2022
Segel earns some empathy as a hangdog Everyman, though his backstory remains such a deliberate blank that any insight is mostly gleaned from his blundering missteps and low-simmering misery.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 18 Mar. 2022
Another slip here is the casting of Effros in the lead role of Martin, a hangdog techie who travels from New York to Cape Cod to settle the estate of his late, estranged dad, Kenneth.
—Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for hangdog
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2022
Vic accepts his highly public and private humiliation with hangdog equanimity.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 Mar. 2022
Segel earns some empathy as a hangdog Everyman, though his backstory remains such a deliberate blank that any insight is mostly gleaned from his blundering missteps and low-simmering misery.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 18 Mar. 2022
Another slip here is the casting of Effros in the lead role of Martin, a hangdog techie who travels from New York to Cape Cod to settle the estate of his late, estranged dad, Kenneth.
—Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for hangdog
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hangdog
Adjective
-
One purveyor of fairy tales that wasn’t afraid of a sad ending?—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Sade Bess, a Combs fan from Brooklyn, left the court’s overflow observation room looking both sad and relieved.—
Jennifer Peltz,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The writer, known for her trailblazing work in confessional poetry, was clinically depressed and died by suicide at age 30.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Barbeau had been living alone, depressed and isolated since Jessica’s death.—
Jon Michael Varese,
The Atlantic,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Smart, much like Georgia’s fan base, is pretty unhappy after yet another loss to Alabama.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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While there are reasons to be unhappy with the performance, each win in the NFL is hard to get.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The most painful part, the tragedy of our lives, was that Brenda was heartbroken.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
30 Sep. 2025
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This isn't the first time the internet has been left heartbroken when a dog didn't want to play.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The same goes for Treinen, who endured a miserable September, allowing 12 runs (10 earned) in 9 1/3 innings.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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And so, a miserable team performance was cemented into a 26-21 loss, the team’s first of the year.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Following the black-and-white aesthetics and melancholy lyricism of TTPD, the high saturation and sparkles associated with Showgirl — which is comprised of flashy pop bangers — feel even more vibrant.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The pop icon’s 12th album, released at midnight on Friday, is being hailed for the singer’s return to upbeat pop following last year’s melancholy The Tortured Poets Department, with Swift reuniting with Swedish hitmaker producers Max Martin and Shellback.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The game didn’t start bad for the Giants.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Apparently, Grier forgot his own words, because the lines that the Dolphins have built are collectively their worst this decade, something evident in a crushing 27-24 loss to Carolina, a game in which Miami blew a 17-0 lead.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But let’s see what happens when Mississippi State takes its show on the road in a game of significance (sorry, Southern Miss).—
Matt Hayes,
USA TODAY,
3 Oct. 2025
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Neal Rubin Lynn Blasey feels sorry for her alligator, a reptile who is also a fish out of water.—
NEAL RUBIN,
Freep.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hangdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hangdog. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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