HANGING AROUND Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

hanging around

verb

present participle of hang around

as in remaining

to continue to be in a place for a significant amount of time if you hang around until my husband gets home, you can meet him

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 around As the daughter of two classical singers, she was used to hanging around backstage and going along with the rhythm of theatrical days. — Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026 Dorothy recalls patrons hanging around the shop for hours, running her hands along a rainbow of silk ties, and picking up tailor pins with her cousins to pass the time. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2026 May Rosenberg, the wife of the critic Harold Rosenberg, once visited Krasner’s studio and assumed that the man hanging around in dungarees, not saying much of anything, was an intellectually disabled janitor. — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026 And no one was hanging around Jane Doe’s former sorority house, except for a round-the-clock security guard parked in the driveway. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026 One bonus has been the discovery that feline family members of various New York households especially enjoy hanging around the batteries. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 2 Oct. 2026 Then there’s snake, tiger, zebra, and deer print…cow print is still hanging around too. — Fiona Ward, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2026 Christian grew up hanging around a locker room with Hall of Fame players like Davis, John Elway, Steve Atwater, Gary Zimmerman, Shannon Sharpe and others. — Sam Jane, Denver Post, 1 Oct. 2026 Peas, mushrooms, asparagus, or whatever else is hanging around the crisper would be just as welcome. — Tadashi Ono & Harris Salat, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanging around

Verb

Samsung has been monitoring where certain departing employees went — to signal to remaining staff that moving to competitors would be difficult — according to a former employee.

— Jenny Lee, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
The initial returns included ballots processed before Election Day, with additional votes remaining to be counted.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of remaining

Verb

While waiting to form the new government, the election winners have called on prosecutors and judges to start doing their jobs or step down.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026
Apparently, a man – and woman – gotta check election results while waiting and watching the three Jonases on stage.

— Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of waiting

Verb

To ensure a seamless, natural-looking dye job, Monzillo recommends using a little bit of Vaseline on and around your hairline to prevent any color lines from sticking around.

— Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 1 Nov. 2026
While rain chances will be back at some point next week (model data isn't in agreement just yet on timing), the pleasant, unseasonably warm afternoon temps look to be sticking around through the middle of November.

— Ron Smiley, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026