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

Grits Don’t let those snowy little grit granules fool you—they aren’t meant to hang around for too long waiting for their moment in the sun. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 16 Feb. 2025

Now, Walter is still hanging around Misty, doting on her and generally just being a great (yet super-creepy) dude. —Erin Qualey, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025

Your companions are all hanging around doing their own thing, bantering. —Hayes Madsen, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2025

The 3-point disparity, something that has stung Denver much of the season, enabled the Pelicans to hang around throughout a first half that ended with the score knotted 68-68. —Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2025

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