hang around

verb

hung around; hanging around; hangs around

1

intransitive, informal

a

: to pass time idly or in relaxing or socializing

spent the day just hanging around with her friends

b

: to stay in or at a place for a period of time

had to hang around for over an hour, waiting for the bus

She didn't feel like hanging around at the club afterward …

—David Calder

2

transitive informal : to pass time or stay in or at (a place) or in the company of (someone)

hung around the house all day

My mother doesn't want me hanging around the park alone.

—Judy Blume

When he was 10 years old, Lester taught him-self to windsurf by hanging around the Europeans and Canadian tourists who rented boards on the beach at Varadero.

—Sam Moses

Synonyms

• abide
• dwell
• remain
• stay
• stick around
• tarry

Examples of hang around in a Sentence

if you hang around until my husband gets home, you can meet him

Recent Examples on the Web

The home is most definitely spooky and just might have a few spirits still hanging around, perhaps trying to solve the mystery of exactly what happened there. —Julie Jordan, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024

The director has made a name for himself with deconstructed takes on classics that often hang around a choice bit of star casting. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2024

Lewis-Martin stood beside him, a large cross hanging around her neck. —Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2024

Jim Allen MacArthur Park Time to go fishing The Angels are like an albatross hung around the neck of Mike Trout. —Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

hang around

verb

informal

: to pass time or stay idly in or at

hung around the house all day