as in sad
feeling unhappiness
"Why do you look so hangdog today?" she asked
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Recent Examples of hangdog
His Mickey is pleasantly mumbly, with a hangdog mien that’s often crosscut with a don’t-underestimate-me swagger.
—
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2022
Vic accepts his highly public and private humiliation with hangdog equanimity.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 Mar. 2022
Segel earns some empathy as a hangdog Everyman, though his backstory remains such a deliberate blank that any insight is mostly gleaned from his blundering missteps and low-simmering misery.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 18 Mar. 2022
Another slip here is the casting of Effros in the lead role of Martin, a hangdog techie who travels from New York to Cape Cod to settle the estate of his late, estranged dad, Kenneth.
—Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for hangdog
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2022
Vic accepts his highly public and private humiliation with hangdog equanimity.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 Mar. 2022
Segel earns some empathy as a hangdog Everyman, though his backstory remains such a deliberate blank that any insight is mostly gleaned from his blundering missteps and low-simmering misery.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 18 Mar. 2022
Another slip here is the casting of Effros in the lead role of Martin, a hangdog techie who travels from New York to Cape Cod to settle the estate of his late, estranged dad, Kenneth.
—Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for hangdog
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hangdog
Adjective
-
The same sad and sinister menace occupying 1600 Penn.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Of course, after a while the thrill of getting caught fades, and sneaking around becomes deeply sad rather than sexy.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Aside from the loneliness, Rowland says day-after-day stuck inside has left her depressed and fearing the worst.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The first episode largely focuses on the male perspective through the eyes of the angry, lonely, and depressed Jeremy (Jaquel Spivey).—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Domingo Morel, a professor at New York University who studies state takeovers of local schools, said most local residents wind up unhappy with the methods used by state interventionists and the results.—
Bri Hatch,
Chalkbeat,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Audrey, the single and childless and PhD-less product of a stable but unhappy home, has fallen short of the life planned out for her by her parents.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Neighbors said they were heartbroken to hear about the incident.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The younger brother of a man shot celebrating his birthday in the Bronx witnessed the slaying and was wounded by the gunman too, the siblings’ heartbroken mother revealed Monday.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In those years, a miserable and extensive roster of racially inflected deaths, from the Central Park jogger and the Exonerated Five to so many more, dominated local news programs and the tabloids, especially Rupert Murdoch’s Post.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
1 Feb. 2026
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Even 54 games into this miserable campaign, there’s yet to be even an attempt at a course-correcting move.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
All the while, the river shimmers in the sun, blue then green, then melancholy and moody as cloud shadows sweep overhead.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
This is an example of Anderson as a unique artist who uses whimsy, melancholy, innovative storytelling and a great deal of historical research, all on display in this visually rich gem.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Azzi Fudd scored 27 points and Sarah Strong added 26 to help UConn beat Tennessee, handing the Lady Vols their worst loss in the storied rivalry.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
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To that end, here’s a selection of the best (and most enjoyably bad) literary film and TV coming to streaming services this month.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In the footage, Rivera is initially apologetic to the trooper who pulls him over, saying sorry for going through a red light.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
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Bloom’s Keiwon Gulley is too irrepressible and in the moment to ever feel sorry for himself.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hangdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hangdog. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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