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
In a major change from the book, the period drama opens at a debauched public hanging, where a young Catherine Earnshaw (Charlotte Mellington) looks on as a man dangles from a noose. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026 The scene in question is a hanging. Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 12 Feb. 2026
Verb
And their drive is still evident, embodied by a singular focus from those destined for the Hall of Fame all the way down to an unheralded hometown hero hanging onto an NBA roster spot. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026 From its large collection of beer steins and antlers in its bar to the colorful glow of the Tiffany lamps hanging through, Jack Pandl’s is still loaded with Old-World charm more than a century after opening its doors. Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 6 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
  • Sana won bronze in the downhill at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Paralympics at age 20 in the VI division.
    Liam Tharme, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
  • The Italian, who returned from a broken left leg just before the Milan Cortina Games and then won gold in super-G and giant slalom, skipped Friday's downhill and seemed to struggle with landing the many jumps in the course.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • All new data centers connecting to the grid must now provide dispatchable power — electricity that can be turned on or off depending on the national grid’s needs — or have the capacity to store energy.
    April Roach,Gaelle Legrand, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
  • The high costs are likely only temporary, depending primarily on the longevity of the conflict in the Middle East.
    Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Beneath it, a man squatted on the pavement, staring at nothing in particular, a glass pipe drooping from his fingers.
    Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
  • Mushy brown, black, or yellow leaves, soggy soil that’s smelly, and drooping all point to too much water.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • That decline in leadership shows up in authoritative surveys like the Pew Research Center’s benchmark poll, which finds that trust in government to do what’s right is hovering near historic lows.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
  • That, in turn, has caused the price of the metal to surge, breaking past the $5,000 mark in January after hovering under $3,000 per ounce just one year ago.
    Matt Richardson, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Price is well above both the 50-day at $453 and the 200-day at $455, which are now turning higher together after months of basing.
    Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2026
  • So much of what makes the American celebrity version of The Traitors both entertaining and frustrating is the poor gameplay; outside of the career gamers, most Faithfuls are basing everything on vibes.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 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
  • Fresh lump crab is the star of this easy dip recipe, and the flavor of Lowcountry favorite Old Bay seasoning shines through.
    Josh Miller, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Monitored across 200 days by astronomers at the LCO, SN 2024afav’s brightness periodically dipped, oscillating back and forth, with the time between dips getting shorter and shorter over the course of the measurement.
    Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hanging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanging. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

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