Illustration of hinge
- hinge 1a
1
a
: a jointed or flexible device on which a door, lid, or other swinging part turns
b
: a flexible ligamentous joint
c
: a small piece of thin gummed paper used in fastening a postage stamp in an album
2
: a determining factor : turning point
hinged; hinging
1
: to swing on or as if on a hinge
These thoughtful amenities include … an outdoor patio TV that hinges outward toward the pool …—
Paul Takahashi
Paul Takahashi… we pulled within feet of a 12-foot crocodile, his huge jaw hinging open in warning to reveal a toothy grin.—Andrea Bartz
Andrea Bartz2
: to be contingent on a single consideration or point
—used with on or upon
the prosecution's case hinges on the DNA evidence
: to attach by or furnish with hinges
Synonyms
Examples of hinge in a Sentence
Verb
the outcome of the game hinged on a single play
Recent Examples on the Web
Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Other laptops have put a second screen beneath the hinge under a removable keyboard and a second screen that folds out horizontally.
—Ars Technica, 10 Jan. 2025
News Desk, Artforum, 14 Jan. 2025
The case hinged not only on the surgical error but on the personal lifestyle of the operating surgeon, whose behavior in the months leading up to the procedure came under intense scrutiny.
—Lars Daniel, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hinge 
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Noun
In her interpretation of history, Herod is the hinge between Old Testament Judaism and what became Christianity.
—Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Other laptops have put a second screen beneath the hinge under a removable keyboard and a second screen that folds out horizontally.
—Ars Technica, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
Satrapi explained her decision, which hinged in part on France’s visa policies, in an Instagram post addressed to French culture minister Rachida Dati.
—News Desk, Artforum, 14 Jan. 2025
The case hinged not only on the surgical error but on the personal lifestyle of the operating surgeon, whose behavior in the months leading up to the procedure came under intense scrutiny.
—Lars Daniel, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hinge
Dictionary Entries Near hinge
Cite this Entry
“Hinge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hinge. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hinge
1 of 2 noun1
: a jointed piece on which a door, lid, or other swinging part turns
2
: the joint between valves of a bivalve's shell
hinge
2 of 2 verb
hinged; hinging
1
: to attach by or provide with hinges
2
: to hang or turn as if on a hinge : depend
our success hinges on this decision
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