HANGING ON Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

hanging on

verb

present participle of hang on

as in keeping up

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Dissimilar Words

as in holding on

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanging on

Verb

But rookie Brandon Valenzuela admitted recently that he's had some trouble keeping up with the evolving celebrations.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
The authors recommended keeping up the funding, though the report didn’t elaborate on extending those initiatives.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 July 2026

Definition of keeping up

Verb

Schmidt is currently holding on to the collection, though certain items are expected to be auctioned off to further support Stücke and LSVD+.

— Sara Belcher, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
Argyle, a quiet community holding on to its rural roots, is at a crossroads with rapid growth and traffic congestion driving the need to widen FM 407, which goes through the town in southern Denton County.

— Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2026

Definition of holding on

Verb

Princess Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, are carrying on her family legacy and inherited a great deal upon her tragic death in 1997.

— Christopher Luu, InStyle, 5 July 2026
Back in England, the country which supposedly gave football to the world, everyone is clearly keeping calm and carrying on during this World Cup run.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 5 July 2026

Definition of carrying on

Verb

Grow Naturally Repellent Plants There are many plants that function as natural mosquito repellents and having them in your garden can really help to lessen the presence of mosquitoes and deter them from hanging around.

— The Spruce, The Spruce, 2 July 2026
Here’s how to discourage pesky possums from hanging around your house and yard.

— Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 1 July 2026

Definition of hanging around

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.

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“Hanging on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanging%20on. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of hanging on

verb

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