Synonyms of hangs about

hangs about

verb

present tense third-person singular of hang about, British

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

• hangs (around or out)
• kicks back
• kills time
• goofs (off)
• hacks (around)
• dillydallies
• plays
• rests
• bums
• lounges
• kicks around
• footles
• chills
• lazes
• loafs
• idles
• twiddles one's thumbs
• lazies
• relaxes
• pokes
• dawdles
• drones
• vegges out
• strolls
• fiddles (around)
• putters (around)
• messes
• potters (around)
• estivates
• lolls
• lingers
• dallies
• fools
• mucks
• monkeys
• hibernates
• trifles
• dozes
• lags
• piddles
• goldbricks
• loiters
• saunters
• swans
• ambles
• moseys
• tarries
• furloughs
• malingers
• truants

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slaves
• works
• labors
• plugs
• plows
• pegs
• toils
• grinds
• sweats
• humps
• hustles
• grubs
• buckles (down)
• applies
• plods
• puts out
• moils
• travails
• drudges
• exerts

2

as in plays

to spend time in aimless activity

we'll be hanging about at the pub if you need us

Synonyms & Similar Words

• plays
• fiddles (around)
• goofs (around)
• fools around
• fribbles
• putters (around)
• potters (around)
• monkeys (around)
• messes around
• doodles
• hangs (around or out)
• trifles
• kicks around
• horses around
• lounges
• idles
• clowns (around)
• loafs
• dawdles
• dillydallies
• lolls
• tinkers
• dallies
• diddles (with)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sets (to)
• settles (down)
• buckles (down)
• knuckles down

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hangs about

Though the sisters are supposedly first-generation Italian American, no whiff of the old country hangs about Kay; Dorothy will at least spit out a few words in Italian. — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026

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