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
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 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
Noun
Baker’s Indigenous and German heritage inform her three large abstract collage hangings, created using synthetic turf animated by acrylic paint, yarn and a variety of natural materials, including corn husk, willow, buffalo hide and buckskin. Grant Klarich Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026 Records from the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner's office listed his official causes of death as sequelae of anoxic brain injury and hanging. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
The report mentions Bedouin civilians, including children and elderly people, being shot and killed while fleeing on foot, and a case where two men's bodies were left hanging at the gate of a village for days. ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026 This focus on their past appeals to the story’s lowest hanging fruit, which is its sense of incipient tragedy, the foreclosure of the possibility for happiness. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Mar. 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
  • Downs, 21, a 6-foot, 206-pound game wrecker, is an Alabama transfer who disrupts offenses consistently with a high football IQ and a downhill, violent play style.
    Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Posting 21 points by halftime, Banchero was quick to find his spots with turnaround jumpers and aggressive downhill attacks that led to multiple trips to the free throw line.
    Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • That could mean a delay of hours, days or longer depending on scheduling and technical constraints.
    Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The monitor has an ambient sensor that helps adjust lighting depending on brightness.
    George Yang, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Its owner is a charismatic cowboy over 6 feet tall with slightly drooping jowls and bright blue eyes, a community fixture and something of a local legend.
    Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Paramylodon harlani was not like today’s cutesy tree sloths, drooping in the jungle canopy.
    John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • With Brent crude hovering above $115 and the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, the question is whether the labor market’s low-hire, low-fire equilibrium can survive an energy shock.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Kid Rock came under fire by the US Army after the musician shared a clip of what appeared to be military helicopters hovering above his Nashville residence.
    Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Opponents argue the bill suggests some lives are more valuable than others by basing penalties on the victim's occupation.
    Jessie Balmert, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Etihad plans to bring its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to Charlotte Douglas for the first time, and basing the advanced long-haul jet at CLT.
    Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 17 Mar. 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
  • Bank of America upgrades Formula One to buy from neutral The firm says investors should buy the dip.
    Michael Bloom, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Overall violent crime is down Overall incidents of violent crime have seen a steady decline in Olathe over the past four years, while some categories of crime saw hikes and dips, according to police department data.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hanging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanging. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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