belong
gb/bɪlˈɔŋ/ us/bɪlˈɔŋ/
A1
English
~ 1700
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
state
1
Be in the right place
To be in the right place or situation.
Usage pattern:
[something] belongs [somewhere]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'belong' for physical placement only, forgetting it can also refer to situations or groups.
Synonyms
fit (Implies suitability or appropriateness without ownership aspect.)
Antonyms
be out of place (Means not being in the correct or suitable place.)
Collocations
belong together
|belong here
|belong in
|belong to a group
|belong on
Themes
daily life
|relationships
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- These books belong on the top shelf.
- You belong in this team; your skills are perfect for us.
- That chair belongs in the dining room, not the kitchen.
- I finally feel like I belong here.
- This painting belongs in a museum.
Learner examples
- The shoes belong under the bed.
- This hat belongs on your head.
- The keys belong on the table.
- The dog belongs in the garden.
- My phone belongs in my bag.
Verb
A2
relation
2
Be a member of a group
To be in a group or organization.
Usage pattern:
[someone] belongs to [a group/organization]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes omit 'to' after 'belong' when talking about groups.
Synonyms
join (Refers to becoming a member, not the state of being one.)
Antonyms
leave (Means to stop being part of a group.)
Collocations
belong to a club
|belong to an association
|belong to a community
Themes
relationships
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She belongs to the local tennis club.
- I belong to an online book community.
- He belongs to several professional associations.
- They belong to the same church.
- Do you belong to any volunteer groups?
Learner examples
- I belong to a sports club.
- She belongs to the school choir.
- We belong to a big family group.
- He belongs to a student group.
- They belong to the same team.
Verb
A1
relation
3
Be owned by someone
To be something that someone owns.
Usage pattern:
[something] belongs to [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'belongs me' instead of 'belongs to me'.
Synonyms
be possessed by (More formal and less common than 'belong'.)
Antonyms
be free of ownership (Refers to something not being owned by anyone.)
Collocations
belong to me
|belong to her
|belong to the company
Themes
daily life
|law
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- This wallet belongs to my brother.
- Who does this car belong to?
- The land belongs to the government.
- That phone belongs to Sarah.
- These tools belong to our neighbor.
Learner examples
- This pen belongs to me.
- The bike belongs to Tom.
- The house belongs to my parents.
- That bag belongs to her.
- The book belongs to my friend.
Verb
B1
state
4
Feel accepted somewhere
To feel happy and accepted in a group or place.
Usage pattern:
[someone] feels like they belong [somewhere]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this emotional sense with physical placement or ownership senses of 'belong'.
Synonyms
fit in (More informal and focuses on adjusting behavior to match group norms.)
Antonyms
feel alienated (Means feeling separate or excluded from others.)
Collocations
feel like you belong
|find where you belong
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It took me a while to feel like I belonged at my new school.
- She finally feels like she belongs in the city.
- Do you feel like you belong here?
- Finding friends helped him feel like he belonged.
- I never felt like I belonged in that company culture.
Learner examples
- I feel like I belong here.
- She feels she belongs with her friends.
- He does not feel he belongs at school.
- We all want to feel we belong somewhere.
- They make me feel I belong in the team.
Grammar
Dictionary form
belong
IPA
GB/bɪlˈɔŋ/
US/bɪlˈɔŋ/
Syllables & stress
be - long (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (long)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: belong
- 3rd Person Singular: belongs
- Present Participle: belonging
- Past: belonged
Word family
Forms
belongs
verb
belonging
verb
belonged
verb
Expressions
belong to
1/bɪlˈɔŋ tə/
phrasal verb
Be owned by or part of something
To be owned by someone or be part of a group or organization.
Examples
- This house belongs to my aunt.
- She belongs to the local chess club.
feel like you belong
1/fˈil lˈaɪk jˈu bɪlˈɔŋ/
fixed phrase
Have a sense of belonging
To feel accepted and comfortable in a group or place.
Examples
- It took months for me to feel like I belonged at work.
- Friends can help you feel like you belong.
where you belong
1/wˈɛɹ jˈu bɪlˈɔŋ/
fixed phrase
Correct place for someone/something
The right place for someone or something to be.
Examples
- After years abroad, she feels she's back where she belongs.
- Put the book back where it belongs.