hang on

verb

Definition of hang onnext
1
as in to carry on

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in to hold on

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 hang on New York, meanwhile, was trying to hang on with yet another rainy home game that needed the defense to step up and get the win. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2026 The only disappointment for Jacquet was that France failed to hang on to win. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 With FoCo at their collective backs, this time the Rams start strong and hang on for dear life the rest of the way. — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 2 Oct. 2026 The Tommies use a stingy defense to hang on for a 20-17 win over the Johnnies at Target Field, the home of the Minnesota Twins. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hang on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hang on
  1. carry on
  2. hold on
  3. keep up
  4. hang around
  5. dig in
  6. wait
  7. persevere
  8. stick around
Verb
  • As the fund’s general partner, the NFL will collect some management fees and carry on the investments, a consistent and bankable income stream that is not shared with players as part of the salary cap.
    — Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • In Hargeisa, meanwhile, the country that doesn’t exist carries on.
    — Mahbub Abdillahi, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of carry on
Verb
  • Amen Thompson blocked Victor Wembanyama's game-tying layup attempt with less than a second remaining and the Houston Rockets held on to beat the San Antonio Spurs 114-110 on Friday night.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Democrats held on in the Senate, and the House shifted from barely Democratic to barely Republican.
    — Ron Elving, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of hold on
Verb
  • Several Olympic sports have evolved over the years to keep up with an ever-changing landscape, but few have been as drastic as the Modern Pentathlon.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The utility said at the time the move was necessary to keep up with demand amid growth.
    — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of keep up
Verb
  • Montano hung around the net and was rewarded with the game-winning goal with 14 minutes to go as the host Tomcats edged Oswego East 1-0 in a Class 3A East Aurora Sectional semifinal.
    — Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Hermano Mando has been hanging around the church since his wife served him with divorce papers.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of hang around
Verb
  • They’re made without a fly and have a stretchy waistband that won’t dig in.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 12 Oct. 2026
  • On an archaeological dig in Sulawesi, an island in modern-day Indonesia, Brumm and his colleagues excavated some very old human remains.
    — Pien Huang, NPR, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of dig in
Verb
  • The league has agreed to an extended All-Star break to accommodate the Olympics, but MLB also could tire of waiting for the union to agree with LA28, which badly wants MLB players to participate.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Ukraine is waiting for information and clarification from the US side about the situation and there is no response yet, the source said.
    — Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of wait
Verb
  • Despite the job cuts, threats of land reduction, talks of privatization and even demolition within some parks, Indigenous groups and park partners have persevered.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • There’s a lesson, too, in sync with the vitality of these men and women who persevered, who never let an insight go unchallenged, a name go unforgotten or a memory about the Renaissance lie unadorned.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of persevere
Verb
  • Hopefully, Goover will stick the landing with its product, and stick around for a while to come.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 23 Oct. 2026
  • More windows for rain around Halloween While the last full week of October is looking average, those conditions likely won’t stick around for long.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of stick around

Browse Nearby Words

hangmen
hang on
hang one on
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hang on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hang%20on. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of reticent

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All