hang fire

phrase

Definition of hang firenext
as in delay
to move or act slowly He asked his team to hang fire until he was ready.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hang fire
  1. fall behind
  2. mark time
Phrase
  • Greenhouse emissions remained high, fossil fuels continued to dominate the energy market, and countries eventually fell behind on their climate goals.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
  • But eviction often takes time, and even falling behind on rent is not necessarily an immediate concern when other bills are pressing, Schneider said.
    — John Csiszar, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of fall behind
Phrase
  • All the same, Adelaide believed in the importance of marking time.
    — Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The moon represents creation and destruction, rebirth, eternity, the feminine, time, marking time, mystery, the night, and secrets.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of mark time
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.

Browse Nearby Words

hangers-on
hang fire
hang gliding
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hang fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hang%20fire. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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