belonging 1 of 2

noun

bi-ˈlȯŋ-iŋ How to pronounce belonging (audio)
Definition of belongingnext
1
as in intimacy
the state of being in a very personal or private relationship the warm welcome they received from the community gave them a sense of belonging

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in possession
belongings plural transportable items that one owns packed up all their belongings and moved across the country

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

belonging

2 of 2

verb

present participle of belong
1
as in staying
to have or be in a usual or proper place your shoes belong in the closet, not in the middle of the living room where people will trip on them

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2
as in pertaining
to be the property of a person or group of persons those textbooks belong to the school system and not to the students

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of belonging
Noun
Pride month may be ending, but for many LGBTIQ youth in Baltimore, the need for acceptance and belonging doesn't end on June 30. — Crystal McQuay, CBS News, 29 June 2026 However, on moving day, the company allegedly increased the cost to $32,000, claiming the couple had more belongings than originally estimated. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Verb
Matching shirts, bows and pompoms now accompany performances, lunchtime discussions and a sense of belonging. — Arkansas Online, 21 June 2026 These are objects of belonging that signal specific cultural moments, rituals and aesthetics, and many young people today are starting to experience them for the first time. — Rotem Rozental, The Conversation, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for belonging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belonging
  1. intimacy
  2. possession
  3. staying
  4. pertaining
  5. familiarity
  6. things
  7. going
  8. kinship
Noun
  • While Tuesday’s show is due to mark a shift back to craftsmanship and intimacy, the designer is set to release another project later this year involving virtual reality.
    — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 6 July 2026
  • Colored by a palpable sense of filmmaker and subject building a friendship and a professional understanding in real time, this documentary’s intimacy feels hard-won, and entirely genuine.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 6 July 2026
Definition of intimacy
Noun
  • Mogbo grabbed the rebound, setting up Sacramento’s final possession.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2026
  • The score might not suggest dominance, but Colombia controlled the game from the outset and held possession for nearly two-thirds of the match.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
Definition of possession
Verb
  • Tops on that list is the late Grateful Dead founder Bob Weir — who died in January at 78 — as a model for a band staying fearless and uncompromising.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • Read more about the heat dome and tips on staying cool in this visual explainer.
    — Ignacio Calderon, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of staying
Verb
  • Evidence pertaining to the Fire Department’s response was not permitted at the trial.
    — Sierra Van Der Brug, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026
  • That governing body doesn’t have an official policy pertaining to matters of climate.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 22 June 2026
Definition of pertaining
Noun
  • Reliability, familiarity and consistency go a long way when a franchise is laying a new foundation and needs people to serve as the blueprint.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
  • However, this isn't a slight but a strategic move for athlete performance and familiarity.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of familiarity
Noun
  • Highlight reels are dominated by exceptional athletes doing exceptional things.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • Welcome back to Kick It, the AJC’s newsletter for all things World Cup.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of things
Verb
  • But gooey emotions are still not going to stop Navy vet Everett from going action-hero, as seen in the finale trailer.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • For instance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been politically weakened by the Iran war’s major objectives going unfulfilled.
    — Will Weissert, Fortune, 2 July 2026
Definition of going
Noun
  • Genuine kinship, even for a few hours, can feel harder than ever to find.
    — Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 30 June 2026
  • Raise the Future offers Family Support Services for foster, kinship and adoptive families.
    — Libby Smith, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Definition of kinship

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belonging
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Cite this Entry

“Belonging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belonging. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on belonging

Nglish: Translation of belonging for Spanish Speakers

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