1
as in hangs (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 plays
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
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Recent Examples of hangs about
Turquoise pearl, and azure line the space, and a cylindrical hanging light sculpture made of hundreds of white and gold ceramic fish hangs about the lounge seating area.
—
Kristin Braswell, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
The hot air just hangs about, causing the dish to cook unevenly with some spots nearly raw and others burnt.
—New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2025
Despite Dickens’ canonical reputation, the author of door-stoppers such as Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickeleby, the stench of the entrepreneurial still hangs about him.
—Literary Hub, 21 July 2025
Kristin Braswell, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
The hot air just hangs about, causing the dish to cook unevenly with some spots nearly raw and others burnt.
—New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2025
Despite Dickens’ canonical reputation, the author of door-stoppers such as Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickeleby, the stench of the entrepreneurial still hangs about him.
—Literary Hub, 21 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hangs about
Verb
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Because all 12 vertebrae of your thoracic spine (middle segment) connect to your rib cage, rib mobility plays a central role in how your spine moves and how forces are managed through your back.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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Besides being crucial for winter sports events, snow plays many other important roles, said David Robinson, New Jersey State Climatologist and a distinguished professor in the Rutgers University geography department.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Kutsenko, 31, steps outside into the freezing night, switches on a large rectangular generator and the power kicks back in.—
Kamila Hrabchuk,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
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After a very chilly start to the day, with many spots in North Texas dipping into the 20s during the morning, our southerly flow kicks back in, which will lead to a steady warming trend over the next several days.—
McKenna King,
CBS News,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The key to its longevity rests in the show’s unpredictable ability to evolve.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
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This approach rests on four key factors.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When enforcement activity impedes the rights to assemble, document and criticize government action, that chills those rights, and the consequences extend beyond any single demonstration.—
Yohuru Williams,
The Conversation,
4 Feb. 2026
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Apartments in the capital are freezing, and when venturing outside people wear heavy layers of clothes against the bitter cold that chills to the bone.—
Vasilisa Stepanenko,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Other standouts include a Maybelline mascara and a Black and Decker handheld vacuum, which makes quick work of small messes around the house and in the car.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Then Jason and Thor shower together, each lathering the other’s back and bums up with fewer orgasms than an old Herbal Essences commercial.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
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The cranky and irritating backseat driver, who bums a lift midway through the Griswolds' adventure, also has with her the easily excitable pooch Dinky.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hangs about.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hangs%20about. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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