hang

/hæŋ/
/hæŋ/
IPA guide

Other forms: hung; hanging; hanged; hangs

When you hang something, you dangle or suspend it. You can hang a piñata from a tree, hang a picture on the wall, or hang a wind chime on your porch.

People hang all kinds of things: washing on a clothesline, a rope swing over a lake, or a shower curtain in the bathroom. An artist also hangs an art show — meaning she installs it in a gallery or museum, and maybe literally hangs paintings on the wall. If your mouth hangs open, it gapes, and when fog hangs in the air, it rests there, suspended. Informally, you can "get the hang" of something, or figure it out through practice.

Definitions of hang
  1. verb
    cause to be hanging or suspended
    “Hang that picture on the wall”
    synonyms: hang up
    see moresee less
    types:
    suspend
    hang freely
    sling
    hang loosely or freely; let swing
    dangle
    cause to dangle or hang freely
    type of:
    fasten, fix, secure
    cause to be firmly attached
  2. verb
    decorate or furnish with something suspended
    “Hang wallpaper”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    adorn, beautify, decorate, embellish, grace, ornament
    make more attractive by adding ornament, color, etc.
  3. verb
    place in position as by a hinge so as to allow free movement in one direction
    “hang a door”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    fasten, fix, secure
    cause to be firmly attached
  4. verb
    suspend (meat) in order to get a gamey taste
    “hang the venison for a few days”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    decompose, molder, moulder, rot
    break down
  5. verb
    be suspended or hanging
    “The flag hung on the wall”
    synonyms:
    hang up
    cause to be hanging or suspended
    see moresee less
    types:
    beetle, overhang
    be suspended over or hang over
    dangle, drop, swing
    hang freely
    droop, loll
    hang loosely or laxly
  6. verb
    be suspended or poised
    “Heavy fog hung over the valley”
  7. verb
    be exhibited
    “Picasso hangs in this new wing of the museum”
  8. verb
    be placed in position as by a hinge
    “This cabinet door doesn't hang right!”
  9. noun
    a gymnastic exercise performed on the rings or horizontal bar or parallel bars when the gymnast's weight is supported by the arms
    see moresee less
    types:
    show 6 types...
    hide 6 types...
    bent hang
    a hang performed with the elbows bent
    inverted hang
    a hang performed on the rings with the body upside down
    lever hang
    a hang performed on the rings with the body stationary in a horizontal position
    reverse hang
    a hang with the arms extended in back
    straight hang
    a hang performed on the rings or parallel bars with the body erect and the arms at the sides
    piked reverse hang
    a reverse hang performed on the rings
    type of:
    gymnastic exercise
    (gymnastics) an exercise designed to develop and display strength and agility and balance (usually performed with or on some gymnastic apparatus)
  10. verb
    kill by hanging
    “The murderer was hanged on Friday”
    synonyms: string up
    see moresee less
    types:
    halter
    hang with a halter
    gibbet
    hang on an execution instrument
    type of:
    execute, put to death
    kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment
  11. verb
    let drop or droop
    “Hang one's head in shame”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    drop
    let fall to the ground
  12. verb
    fall or flow in a certain way
    “This dress hangs well”
    synonyms: fall, flow
  13. noun
    the way a garment hangs
    “he adjusted the hang of his coat”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    fit
    the manner in which something fits
  14. verb
    be menacing, burdensome, or oppressive
    “This worry hangs on my mind”
    “The cloud of suspicion hangs over her”
    see moresee less
    types:
    brood, bulk large, hover, loom
    hang over, as of something threatening, dark, or menacing
    dominate, eclipse, overshadow
    be greater in significance than
    type of:
    be
    have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
  15. verb
    give heed (to)
    “She hung on his every word”
    synonyms: advert, attend, give ear, pay heed
    see moresee less
    types:
    fixate
    pay attention to exclusively and obsessively
    type of:
    listen
    hear with intention
  16. verb
    hold on tightly or tenaciously
    “hang on to your father's hands”
    synonyms: cling
    see moresee less
    type of:
    grasp, hold on
    hold firmly
  17. verb
    prevent from reaching a verdict, of a jury
    see moresee less
    type of:
    block, blockade, embarrass, hinder, obstruct, stymie, stymy
    hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of
  18. noun
    a special way of doing something
    “he couldn't get the hang of it”
    synonyms: bent, knack
    see moresee less
    type of:
    endowment, gift, natural endowment, talent
    natural abilities or qualities
Pronunciation
US
/hæŋ/
UK
/hæŋ/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘hang'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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