1
as in bowing
bending downward or forward
hanging branches blocked our way for a good part of the trail
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in downhill
a downward slope
with a steep hanging like that, the roofers can't be too careful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in swinging
to place on an elevated point without support from below
hang your coats on the coat rack in the hall
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
3
as in drooping
to be limp from lack of water or vigor
as they neared the end of the long, hard march all but the most hardy were hanging, and some could barely put one foot in front of the other
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in hovering
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air
hanging just above the horizon was a little pink cloud
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in basing
to find a basis
that's very slim evidence upon which to hang a theory
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hanging
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Dec. 2025
Of the other methods – including electrocution, lethal gas and hanging – lethal injection had the highest botch rate of more than 7%.
‘An embrace of brutality’
Still, states have remained averse to the firing squad, a position that experts who spoke to CNN believe stems from its overt violence.
—Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Iran executed three men on Thursday who were accused of killing police officers during protests in January, with activists warning of the risk of a new surge in hangings as war rages with Israel and the United States.
—CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Marissa Armas, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
The roomy main compartment, zippered hanging pocket, and padded laptop sleeve mean everything has a place, so there’s no more digging around for your passport at the gate.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hanging
Adjective
Max Houser 6-Tier Hanging Closet Shelf Instantly create more hanging space with this fabric shelving unit that makes use of otherwise dead vertical space.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Dec. 2025
Of the other methods – including electrocution, lethal gas and hanging – lethal injection had the highest botch rate of more than 7%.
‘An embrace of brutality’
Still, states have remained averse to the firing squad, a position that experts who spoke to CNN believe stems from its overt violence.
—Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
Farahmand said the hangings are also intended to counter a growing perception — inside Iran and among opponents abroad — that sustained attacks on the police and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) could eventually fracture the state’s coercive power.
—Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Iran executed three men on Thursday who were accused of killing police officers during protests in January, with activists warning of the risk of a new surge in hangings as war rages with Israel and the United States.
—CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
Swanson also uncovered a photograph of Banks with an effigy of a Black man hanging by a noose in the background at Mansfield High School.
—Marissa Armas, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
The roomy main compartment, zippered hanging pocket, and padded laptop sleeve mean everything has a place, so there’s no more digging around for your passport at the gate.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hanging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanging
Adjective
-
While the design here is emphatically traditional, a dose of modern whimsy comes through with a dangling, multi-floor chandelier loosely inspired by jellyfish.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Cernan, the junior pilot, was outside, dangling—actually spinning, tumbling, and flailing—at the end of a long umbilical cord, completely unable to control his movements.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Downs, 21, a 6-foot, 206-pound game wrecker, is an Alabama transfer who disrupts offenses consistently with a high football IQ and a downhill, violent play style.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Posting 21 points by halftime, Banchero was quick to find his spots with turnaround jumpers and aggressive downhill attacks that led to multiple trips to the free throw line.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That could mean a delay of hours, days or longer depending on scheduling and technical constraints.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The monitor has an ambient sensor that helps adjust lighting depending on brightness.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Its owner is a charismatic cowboy over 6 feet tall with slightly drooping jowls and bright blue eyes, a community fixture and something of a local legend.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Paramylodon harlani was not like today’s cutesy tree sloths, drooping in the jungle canopy.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
With Brent crude hovering above $115 and the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, the question is whether the labor market’s low-hire, low-fire equilibrium can survive an energy shock.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Kid Rock came under fire by the US Army after the musician shared a clip of what appeared to be military helicopters hovering above his Nashville residence.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Opponents argue the bill suggests some lives are more valuable than others by basing penalties on the victim's occupation.—
Jessie Balmert,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Etihad plans to bring its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to Charlotte Douglas for the first time, and basing the advanced long-haul jet at CLT.—
Chase Jordan,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.—
Aylin Woodward,
WSJ,
21 Dec. 2021
Noun
-
Tune into yourself while tuning out the outside world courtesy of an E-bike ride under the Tuscan sun, a stroll through the olive groves, a dip in the infinity pool, a meditative massage, or a private cooking class using ingredients sourced from the property.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Karaban, whose numbers have always hovered in the same range, saw the biggest dip of his career.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hanging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanging. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
