hang-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈhaŋ-ˌəp 

: a source of mental or emotional difficulty

broadly : problem

hang up

2 of 2

verb

hung up; hanging up; hangs up

transitive verb

1

a

: to place on a hook or hanger designed for the purpose

hang up your coat

b

: to replace (a telephone receiver) on the cradle so that the connection is broken

2

: to keep delayed, suspended, or held up

3

: to cause to stick or snag immovably

the ship was hung up on a sandbar

intransitive verb

1

: to break a telephone connection

2

: to become stuck or snagged so as to be immovable

Synonyms

Noun

• affliction
• demon
• daemon
• terror
• torment

Examples of hang-up in a Sentence

Noun

low self-esteem is only one of his many hang-ups

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But a new method created by a team at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology avoids these hang-ups. —Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2024

His music is a blast—and a challenge to the psychological hang-ups of modern partygoers, including himself. —Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2024

Verb

Right around this same time, Elgin is hanging up polaroids and the undead woman he’s been seeing in his dreams and visions appears standing directly next to Fatima in the photo. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024

Merrill called the newspaper to report his own assault, but hung up before sharing any confidential details because his father worked at the publication. —EW.com, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1952, in the meaning defined above

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

hang-up

1 of 2 noun

ˈhaŋ-ˌəp

: a source of mental or emotional difficulty

hang up

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)haŋ-ˈəp

1

a

: to place on a hook or hanger

hang up your coat

b

: to replace a telephone receiver on the cradle so that the connection is broken

also : to end a telephone conversation

2

: to snag or cause to snag so as to be immovable

a boat hung up on rocks