hang·out
ˈhaŋ-ˌau̇t 
: a favorite place for spending time
also
: a place frequented for entertainment or for socializing
hung out; hanging out; hangs out
1
intransitive
: to protrude and droop
a dog with its tongue hanging out
2
intransitive
informal
: to spend time idly or in relaxing or socializing
just hanging out by the pool
My mother told me not to hang out in bars because the sort of people I would meet there were the sort of people who hang out in bars.—
Calvin Trillin
Calvin TrillinTraditionally, most owners [of sports teams] are rich egomaniacs eager to hang out with athletes and get their names in the paper.—George Vecsey
George Vecsey3
transitive
: to display (something) outside as an announcement to the public
hang out a sign/banner
—used chiefly in the phrase hang out a/one's shingle in the figurative sense "to start a business, begin working professionally"
Publishing was not as complicated a business … when young Alfred Knopf hung out his shingle nearly 70 years ago.—John F. Baker
John F. BakerBack then big L.A. law firms rarely hired Jews … . So Sterling hung out a shingle in Boyle Heights and became a tireless advocate for his old neighbors, handling everything from divorces to personal injury cases.—Franz Lidz
Franz LidzExamples of hangout in a Sentence
Noun
The park was their favorite hangout.
a favorite hangout of senior citizens is the local community center
Recent Examples on the Web
Blair Crosby,
AJC.com,
5 July 2026
Hagan Community Park in Rancho Cordova transformed from a serene hangout spot into an enormous fun-fest fit for a nation’s 250th birthday on Friday.
—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
4 July 2026
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
2 July 2026
Thompson said her son, who graduated from Columbia Academy on May 15, went to Florida to hang out with friends.
—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for hangout
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Noun
Finding this underground hangout might be tricky, but look for the side door on the building at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Reed Street.
—
Blair Crosby,
AJC.com,
5 July 2026
Hagan Community Park in Rancho Cordova transformed from a serene hangout spot into an enormous fun-fest fit for a nation’s 250th birthday on Friday.
—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
4 July 2026
Verb
Inspired by the alien invasion genre and slacker hang out movies, the film is about a group of friends standing up against an alien invasion that threatens to swallow the whole world.
—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
2 July 2026
Thompson said her son, who graduated from Columbia Academy on May 15, went to Florida to hang out with friends.
—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for hangout
Cite this Entry
“Hangout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hangout. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hangout
noun
hang·out
ˈhaŋ-ˌau̇t
: a favorite place for spending time
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
