hanging about

verb

present participle of hang about, British
1
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in playing
to spend time in aimless activity we'll be hanging about at the pub if you need us

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
  1. kicking back
  2. playing
  3. kicking around
  4. fooling around
  5. lounging
  6. messing around
  7. resting
  8. chilling
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
  • Only the two teams that make the championship game playing a sixth game, but the Heat is likely out of the mix for the championship game with two losses in Las Vegas.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
  • The excitement surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup has inspired many fans, from former players to beginners, to slide into a pair of shin guards and start playing the beautiful game.
    — Nicole Williams, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of playing
Verb
  • 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
  • Some of the finer moments for Nemes in the studio were during rehearsals, when the band was just kicking around ideas and jamming.
    — Tina Eves, SPIN, 1 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
  • For everyday wear, a linen short and linen shirt combo is the perfect set for lounging at home or running errands.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
  • Getting the perfect shot of a lounging leopard seal or an emperor penguin posing in Antarctica is a photographer’s dream come true.
    — Kristen E. Pope, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026
Definition of lounging
Verb
  • 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
  • Kylian liked messing around, having a laugh and telling jokes — just like the rest of us.
    — Tom Williams, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Definition of messing around
Verb
  • Armand assures him that Lestat’s not dead and simply resting before the concert, though Louis has no reason to believe this.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The Kings again chose not to play Acuff, second-year guard Nique Clifford and second-year center Maxime Raynaud after resting them in Wednesday’s loss to the Boston Celtics.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of resting
Verb
  • Key steps include cooling the chocolate mixture, dropping the pan mid-bake to release air, and chilling the brownies.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 July 2026
  • The standout interlude is the soldiers’ visit to the island domain of Circe, a treacherous witch played with deceptive calm and a misleading air of distraction by a bone-chilling Samantha Morton.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026
Definition of chilling

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hanging about
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Cite this Entry

“Hanging about.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanging%20about. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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