HANGING ABOUT Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

hanging about

verb

present participle of hang about, British

as in hanging (around or out)

to spend time doing nothing a tea house near campus where many university students could be seen hanging about

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as in playing

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

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 about President James Garfield’s assassin, Charles Guiteau, died by hanging about five months after he was convicted of murder. — USA Today, 17 June 2026 In 2019, city employees began hanging about 500 trick-or-treat pumpkin buckets in the trees on Main Street every October. — Elliott Harrell, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025 Orion Nebula Those viewing from a dark sky location may also notice a blurry patch of light hanging about 5 degrees below Orion's belt. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 14 Oct. 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanging about

Verb

But instead of kicking back, Nadal’s been busy building a hotel empire.

— Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 7 July 2026
Maybe that means kicking back by the pool with a refreshing summer drink in hand or treating yourself to a creative spin on a classic hot dog from one of these five Atlanta spots.

— Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of kicking back

Verb

The fantasy of a cultural architecture that’s as flexible as culture itself has been kicking around for more than 100 years, and there’s something obscurely disappointing about seeing a technocratic version get put into practice.

— Justin Davidson, Curbed, 29 July 2026
Within the venue gates but outside the stands, groups of friends were playing cornhole and having picnic dinners from food trucks parked onsite; older attendees were chatting and kids were kicking around mini soccer balls.

— Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 7 July 2026

Definition of kicking around

Verb

Zeus did not approve of his daughter fooling around with this mortal roughneck hunter and put out a hit on Orion.

— Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
The transition was rough for Ansari, who wasn’t fluent in English and often got in trouble for fooling around in school.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026

Definition of fooling around

Verb

The beach was packed, many vacationers lounging near the turquoise waters when the drone slammed into the white sand and burst into a fireball.

— Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 4 Aug. 2026
The 59-year-old actress posed topless while lounging by the pool during her Fiji Islands getaway with Van Hunt.

— Lara Walsh, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of lounging

Verb

His first two features were loose, low-budget films starring himself and made by messing around with friends; they were built on spontaneity and the belief that a movie reveals itself in the edit.

— Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 July 2026
That sounds way better than messing around with a complex spider web of pole segments, elastic cords, sleeves and clips.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 July 2026

Definition of messing around

Verb

Slide open and step outside to sit at the deck’s fire table immersed in towering evergreen trees while resting your eyes beyond to the Sierra Nevada.

— Catherine Dunwoody, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Matthew Stafford was resting as part of his maintenance plan, and Simpson split reps evenly with Stetson Bennett, with Bennett taking the first crack.

— Nate Atkins, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of resting

Verb

Pre-chilling your cooler and its contents, layering ice strategically, and packing food properly can all help keep everything colder for longer.

— Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 30 July 2026
Long-term mortgage rates have already hit their highest level in nearly a year, chilling the housing industry.

— Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026

Definition of chilling

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“Hanging about.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanging%20about. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of hanging about

verb

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