hang
gb/hˈæŋ/ us/hˈæŋ/
A2
English
~ 1200
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Suspend from above
To put something so it is held in the air from the top and not touching the ground.
Usage pattern:
to hang [something] [somewhere]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'hang' with 'put' or 'place', not realizing that 'hang' means suspended from above.
Synonyms
suspend (More formal and technical; often used in scientific or official contexts.)
Antonyms
place (Means to set something down on a surface, the opposite of suspending it.)
Collocations
hang a picture
|hang clothes
|hang decorations
|hang a coat
|hang curtains
Themes
daily life
|home
|art
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She decided to hang the new painting above the sofa.
- Please hang your coat on the rack by the door.
- They hung colorful lights around the garden for the party.
- He hung the mirror carefully to avoid breaking it.
Learner examples
- I hang my jacket on the wall hook.
- Please hang your bag on the chair.
- We hang pictures in the living room.
- Hang your clothes in the closet.
Verb
B1
action
2
Execute by hanging
To kill a person by tying a rope around their neck and letting them hang until they die.
Usage pattern:
to hang [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'hang' (present tense) with 'hung' and 'hanged'. For execution, the past form is 'hanged'.
Synonyms
execute (General term for killing as a legal punishment; not specific to hanging.)
Antonyms
pardon (To officially forgive and free someone from punishment, opposite of executing them.)
Collocations
publicly hang
|hang for murder
|be hanged
Themes
crime
|law
Examples
- The criminal was hanged for his crimes.
- In old times, thieves were often hanged in public.
- They threatened to hang anyone who opposed them.
Learner examples
- The king ordered to hang the man.
- Long ago, people were hanged for stealing.
- They will hang him for his crime.
Verb
B1
action
3
Stay suspended in air
To stay in one place in the air without falling.
Usage pattern:
to hang over [place]
Synonyms
hover (More common for birds, insects, or machines like helicopters; implies active staying in place.)
Antonyms
fall (To move downward quickly, opposite of staying suspended.)
Collocations
hang in the air
|mist hangs over
|smoke hangs
Themes
nature
|weather
|science
Examples
- A thick fog hung over the valley.
- Smoke hung in the air after the fire.
- The smell of spices hung around the kitchen.
Learner examples
- Fog hangs over the city.
- Smoke hangs in the sky.
- Clouds hang above the mountains.
Verb
informal
A2
action
4
Spend time together casually
To be with someone for fun or to relax without a special plan.
Usage pattern:
to hang with [someone] / to hang out at [place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'hang' alone with 'hang out'. In social contexts, 'out' is usually needed.
Synonyms
socialize (More formal; may imply meeting new people as well as spending time with friends.)
Antonyms
avoid (To deliberately stay away from people instead of spending time with them.)
Collocations
hang out together
|hang with friends
|hang out at the mall
Themes
friendship
|daily life
|daily_life
|relationships
Examples
- We usually hang out at Jake’s place on weekends.
- Do you want to hang with us after school?
- They hung out in the park all afternoon.
Learner examples
- I hang out with my friends after class.
- We hang at the cafe on Sundays.
- Let's hang together this evening.
Verb
A2
action
5
Drape downward from support
To fix something at one end so it hangs down loosely.
Usage pattern:
to hang [object] from [support]
Synonyms
drape (Often used for fabric or clothing; can sound more artistic or decorative.)
Antonyms
roll up (To gather up fabric instead of letting it fall down.)
Collocations
hang curtains from a rod
|hang hair loose
Themes
clothing
|home
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her hair hung down over her shoulders.
- They hung banners from the balcony.
- The curtains hung from a wooden rail.
Learner examples
- My hair hangs down my back.
- We hang a flag from the window.
- The towel hangs from the hook.
Grammar
Dictionary form
hang
IPA
GB/hˈæŋ/
US/hˈæŋ/
Syllables & stress
hang (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (hang)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: hang
- 3rd Person Singular: hangs
- Present Participle: hanging
- Past: hanged, hung
- Past Participle: hung
Word family
Forms
Core family
hanger
noun
Advanced or less common
overhang
verb
Highlights
- Irregular past participle: hung Verb
Expressions
get the hang of [something]
1/ɡˈɛt ðə hˈæŋ əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
informal
Learn skill after practice
To understand how to do something after trying it for some time.
Examples
- It took me weeks to get the hang of driving a manual car.
- You’ll get the hang of it after a few tries.
hang on
1/hˈæŋ ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
informal
Wait briefly before continuing
To wait for a short time before doing something else.
Examples
- Hang on, I’ll get my coat and come with you.
- Hang on while I finish this call.
leave someone hanging
1/lˈiv sˈʌmwˌʌn hˈæŋɪŋ/
idiom
informal
Keep someone waiting without answer
To make someone wait without giving them what they need or want to know.
Examples
- Don’t leave me hanging—what happened next?
- She hates being left hanging when she asks a question.
hang out
1/hˈæŋ ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
informal
Spend leisure time casually
To spend time with people for fun without special plans.
Examples
- We like to hang out at the beach after work.
- We hung out at the park all afternoon.
- Do you want to hang out this weekend?
- They usually hang out at the café after class.
hang up
1/hˈæŋ ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
End a phone call abruptly or normally
To stop a telephone call by putting down the phone or pressing a button.
Examples
- She hung up before I could say goodbye.
- Don’t hang up, I have more to tell you.
- If you receive a strange call, just hang up.
- He angrily hung up the phone in the middle of the argument.