hinge

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a jointed or flexible device on which a door, lid, or other swinging part turns
b
: a flexible ligamentous joint
c
: a small piece of thin gummed paper used in fastening a postage stamp in an album
2
: a determining factor : turning point

Illustration of hinge

Illustration of hinge
  • hinge 1a

hinge

2 of 2

verb

hinged; hinging

intransitive verb

1
: to swing on or as if on a hinge
These thoughtful amenities include … an outdoor patio TV that hinges outward toward the pool …Paul Takahashi
… we pulled within feet of a 12-foot crocodile, his huge jaw hinging open in warning to reveal a toothy grin.Andrea Bartz
2
: to be contingent on a single consideration or point
used with on or upon
the prosecution's case hinges on the DNA evidence

transitive verb

: to attach by or furnish with hinges

Examples of hinge in a Sentence

Verb the outcome of the game hinged on a single play
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In most cases, their eventual success hinges upon a slew of early-stage high-stakes decisions made under the paradigm of imperfect information. Columbia Business School - The Eugene Lang Entrepreneurship Center, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The continued success of the unit in 2024 largely hinges not on the team’s ability to keep top free agents such as offensive linemen Connor Williams and Robert Hunt but on adding more talent and figuring out answers to what troubled the offense against tougher competition. Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2024 This includes not just the hinge, but also a new ultra-dense battery technology. Ben Sin, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 During the incident, the two lower hinge guides broke. Melvin Backman, Quartz, 6 Feb. 2024 The decision hinges, in part, on whether WSU and OSU shutter the Pac-12 Networks’ production studio in San Ramon, California. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2024 Oh, and the hinges from a 2012 13-inch MacBook pro, though that's possibly negotiable. Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 2 Feb. 2024 In that magical land, also known as Netflix, adolescence for people like him is not only survivable but often a lovefest, all closet doors blown off their hinges. Jesse Green, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2024 Then, the door plugs were opened to check for any damage or issues to the hardware holding them in place, including the door and seal components, roller guides, hinges, and guide fittings, as well as the nut plates and fasteners. Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Jan. 2024
Verb
Health plan market expansion hinges heavily on the integration of technology and processes that automate real-time provider data updates. Tammy Hawes, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Some are motivated by Senegal’s political turmoil — authorities delayed February’s presidential elections by 10 months — but the sudden draw seemed to hinge largely on social media posts and the spread of the route there. Baba Ahmed, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2024 Some are motivated by Senegal's political turmoil — authorities delayed February’s presidential elections by 10 months — but the sudden draw seemed to hinge largely on social media posts and the spread of the route there. Baba Ahmed, Quartz, 2 Mar. 2024 This is a shaky situation—one that hinges not just on refined product prices, but also whether Carl Icahn’s selling was a one-off or the start of a trend. Brett Owens, Forbes, 17 Feb. 2024 Biden won as a write-in candidate after Phillips hinged his campaign on claiming a symbolic New Hampshire win in Biden's absence. Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2024 Judge Steve Harvey highlights interesting but low-stakes cases that hinge more on interpersonal relationships than money. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 6 Dec. 2023 The Dodgers’ ability to avoid a similar fate should hinge heavily upon Ohtani and Yamamoto — needing the duo to not only shine on the field in their first season with the club, but also fit into a clubhouse that has undergone significant change over the last several winters. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024 The 2024 team will hinge to a great extent on that relationship. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 2 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hinge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English heng; akin to Middle Dutch henge hook, Old English hangian to hang

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1719, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hinge was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near hinge

Cite this Entry

“Hinge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hinge. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hinge

1 of 2 noun
1
: a jointed piece on which a door, lid, or other swinging part turns
2
: the joint between valves of a bivalve's shell

hinge

2 of 2 verb
hinged; hinging
1
: to attach by or provide with hinges
2
: to hang or turn as if on a hinge : depend
our success hinges on this decision

More from Merriam-Webster on hinge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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