hang

HANG/hæŋ/

Verbhangs, hanging, hung

Noun pluralhangs

28 meanings of hang

Practice

1
suspendedverbintransitive
To stay held up in the air, fixed at the top and falling downward.
Like a coat resting on a hook, held up and still.
Wet towels hang from the rail to dry.
The lamp hung low over the table all evening.
UsagePast form: hung. A lamp hung from the ceiling.
Similardangle
Note
2
spend timeverbcolloquialintransitive
To spend time somewhere without doing much, often with friends.
Like sitting on a bench just watching people go by.
We like to hang at the park after school.
The teens hung by the store all afternoon.
UsageOften hang with friends. Hang out means the same.
Similarloiter, linger, lounge, idle, chill
Note
3
verbtransitive
To put something on a hook, wall, or hanger so it hangs there, such as a picture or coat.
Like putting a wet towel over a rail so it does not fall.
She hung her coat on the hook by the door.
Please hang the picture above the sofa.
UsagePast form hung: she hung the picture.
Similarsuspend, mount
Note
4
verbtransitive
To kill someone, or be killed, by hanging from a rope tied around the neck.
They used to hang criminals in the town square.
The state hanged the murderer at dawn.
UsageFor killing someone, the past is hanged: he was hanged.
5
droopverbtransitive
To let part of your body droop down instead of holding it up straight.
Like a flower drooping down on its stem.
He hung his head in shame after the loss.
Try not to hang your head when you feel nervous.
UsageOften hang your head: look down because you feel bad.
Similarbow, lower, droop, drop
Oppositeraise, lift
6
float in airverbintransitive
To seem to float and stay still in the air.
Like a balloon that stays still in the sky.
Thick clouds of smoke hang over the valley.
A hawk hung motionless in the wind.
UsageOften hang in the air.
Similarhover, float, linger
7
skillnouncolloquialfiguratively
The skill or knack of doing something once you practice it.
Like learning to ride a bike: hard at first, then easy.
It took me a week to get the hang of the new game.
Once you get the hang of riding a bike, you never forget.
UsageSay get the hang of it.
Similarknack, grasp, feel

Less common meanings

8
verbintransitive
When a computer or program hangs, it stops working and won't respond.
Like a clock that suddenly stops, with the hands frozen in place.
My laptop tends to hang when too many tabs are open.
The whole system hung in the middle of saving my file.
UsageSay the computer hung.
Similarfreeze, lock up
Note
9
stay in mindverbfigurativelyintransitive
To stay in your mind and not go away.
Like a song you cannot stop hearing in your head.
Her kind words still hang in my mind years later.
Her warning hung in my mind for the rest of the trip.
UsageOften hang in your mind.
Similarlinger, persist, remain, loom, hover
Oppositefade
10
block a verdictverbtransitive
To stop a group from reaching an agreement, often a jury that must all agree.
Like one person voting no and stopping the whole group from moving on.
A single stubborn juror can hang the whole jury.
One juror would not vote guilty, and she hung the jury.
UsageOften a hung jury.
Similardeadlock
11
meeting placenouncolloquialcountable
A relaxed time spent with friends, or a place where friends meet to spend time together.
Like a favorite spot where friends always meet.
That little café is our favorite hang on weekends.
They were looking for a quiet hang after the concert.
UsageOften a good hang.
Similarhaunt, spot, joint, place
Note
12
decorateverbtransitive
To decorate a place by putting hanging things on it.
We hang the tree with lights every December.
They hung the hall with colorful banners.
UsageSay hang a room with flowers.
Similardecorate, adorn, deck, festoon, drape
13
wallpaperverbtransitive
To fix wallpaper or drywall onto a wall or ceiling.
Like sticking a big sheet flat against the wall.
They will hang the wallpaper in the hallway tomorrow.
He hung the new drywall before lunch.
Similarinstall, apply, fix
Oppositestrip, remove
14
a freezenouncountable
A moment when a computer or program stops responding.
Like a frozen video that stops playing but won't close.
The game suffered a long hang before it finally loaded.
We got a hang every time we opened that file.
Similarfreeze, stall, lockup
15
to hell withverbcolloquialtransitive
Used to show you are annoyed, or to say that something does not matter to you.
Like shouting 'forget it!' when something annoys you.
Hang the cost, we are going on this trip anyway!
Oh, hang the rules, let's just have fun.
Similardamn, blast, curse
Note
16
least carenouncolloquial
The smallest bit of care, used to say you do not care at all.
Like saying you don't care even one tiny bit.
He doesn't give a hang what the neighbors think.
She won't care a hang about losing the prize.
UsageSay I don't give a hang.
Similarhoot, fig, damn, jot, whit
Note
17
friendnouncolloquialcountable
A friend that someone spends free time with.
Like a close friend you see all the time.
My cousin is a great hang, so I asked her to come along.
Everyone likes Dan because he is such an easy hang.
UsageOften a fun hang.
Similarcompanion, buddy, pal, friend, mate
Note
18
pin blameverbfigurativelytransitive
To blame someone for a crime or wrong by making it stick to them.
Like sticking a label on someone that they cannot peel off.
The police tried to hang the robbery on the wrong man.
They hung every mistake on the new manager.
UsageSay hang the blame on someone.
Similarpin, blame, fasten, attach
Note
19
how cloth fallsnouncountable
The way cloth or clothing falls and folds when it is hung up.
Like the way a flag falls flat on a calm day.
The hang of the curtains made the room look taller.
I love the hang of this long coat.
Similardrape, fall, set
20
veerverbtransitive or intransitive
To turn to one side, as in the phrase hang a left at the corner.
Go past the school and hang a left at the light.
We missed the exit, so we hung a right at the next street.
UsageSay hang a left: turn left.
Similarveer, bend, curve, turn, swing
Note
21
baseball pitchverbslangtransitive
To throw a slow pitch that is easy for the batter to hit.
Like rolling a ball slowly to someone so they can hit it far.
The pitcher hung a curveball and the batter smashed it.
If you hang a slider, good hitters will punish you.
Note
22
verbtransitive
In chess, to leave a piece where the other player can take it for free.
Like leaving a checker piece open for your friend to jump.
He hung his queen and lost the game quickly.
Don't hang your bishop on that square.
Oppositedefend, protect
23
nounrare
A large amount of cloth or other material that hangs down.
They advanced in a crouch, dropping to their knees every few yards to pass under a hang of rock.
2014, Matthew Jobin, The Nethergrim
24
verbrare
Of a ball, to bounce back more slowly than expected because of spin or an uneven surface.
25
nounrare
A short pause or slowing down in movement.
26
noundialectal
A steep downward slope of land.
27
nouncolloquialIreland
Cheap sliced ham, in Irish slang, as in a hang sandwich.
28
noun
Another spelling of Hang, a round steel instrument played with the hands.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of hang apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–15, 17–22

From Middle English hangen, from Old English hon and hangian, going back to Proto-Germanic and an old root meaning to waver or be in suspense.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Hang derives from Middle English hangen. en.wiktionary.org
Middle English hangen combines Old English hon and hangian, both descended from Proto-Germanic. en.wiktionary.org
The deeper root means to waver or be in suspense. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 16

An altered form of "dang," which is itself a softened version of the swear word "damn."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Hang is an altered form of dang. en.wiktionary.org
Dang is a softened version of the swear word damn. en.wiktionary.org