hanging 1 of 3

Definition of hangingnext

hanging

2 of 3

noun

hanging

3 of 3

verb

present participle of hang
1
2
as in depending
to be determined by, based on, or subject (to) our plan to go to the amusement park has all been worked out; now it just hangs on the weather

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3
as in drooping
to be limp from lack of water or vigor as they neared the end of the long, hard march all but the most hardy were hanging, and some could barely put one foot in front of the other

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in hovering
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air hanging just above the horizon was a little pink cloud

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
as in basing
to find a basis that's very slim evidence upon which to hang a theory

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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 hanging
Adjective
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 The neutral material keeps it from looking like an eye sore and can be expanded for more hanging space as needed. Micaela Arnett, Rolling Stone, 10 Jan. 2024
Noun
Unfortunately, there isn't actually a way to avoid some pain when hair-hanging, which hinges on the acrobat's hair being tied back in a very particular way. Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026 Tucked in the back of the store, a book room is a bibliophile’s haven, where shoppers linger among titles warmed by an oversized hanging lamp and retro furniture. Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
The hanging quickly devolves into an all-out bacchanal, as onlookers drink, dance and kiss in the square surrounding the flailing corpse. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026 Once wed, Heathcliff immediately turns abusive, killing her dog by hanging it from a tree and trapping her at Wuthering Heights. Becky Little, Time, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hanging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanging
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
Noun
  • Lindsey Vonn is back at home in the United States after leaving a hospital in Italy following a devastating crash in the women's downhill that left her with a broken left leg.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Visualization is a huge part of racing, particularly in the speed disciplines of downhill and super-G, and a lot of competitors close their eyes and run the course on a loop in their minds, dipping and swaying with every turn, roller and jump.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The charge, which helped pay for the $310 million stadium, ranged from $100 to $1,500 depending on the ticket package.
    Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Because the Islamic Calendar follows a lunar cycle, exact dates can change slightly depending on the sighting of the crescent moon.
    Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Avoid flowers that are releasing pollen, are discolored, or have drooping foliage.
    Heather Zidack, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Her face was drooping on the left side.
    Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield, CBS News, 15 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • However, summer is typhoon season in Taiwan, and the weather is very toasty and muggy with highs regularly hovering around 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
    Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Gold prices have been on a record-breaking roller coaster — after reaching an all-time high of more than $5,100 in late January, the precious metal's price has been hovering around the $5,000-per-ounce mark in mid-February.
    Liz Knueven, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Although the designer has never been on skis, that didn’t stop him from basing his fall collection on fashions near the slopes.
    Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Civil rights groups said that basing a deportation law on Palestinian Authority payments effectively excluded Jewish Israelis, including settlers convicted of attacks against Palestinians, from the threat of losing their citizenship, as the statute targeted people of a certain race.
    Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.
    Aylin Woodward, WSJ, 21 Dec. 2021
Noun
  • The chart shows two extreme dips in production from Swanson.
    Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
  • While such controversies may have sunk a politician of yesteryear, Uthmeier hasn’t shown any significant dip in support.
    Dan Sullivan, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hanging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanging. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

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