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

The bazaar, which drew a steady crowd to the temple’s indoor and outdoor spaces over five hours Sunday, brought together multiple strands of Japanese culture on a mild, overcast day that seemed custom made for hanging around and socializing. —Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2024

Look for nearby tracks, which will give a better indication of what bear species is hanging around. —Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 30 May 2024

But Dallas closed the half on an 8-2 run to get within 12 at the break and continued to make just enough plays to hang around and position itself for a run. —Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 May 2024

Mason showed good hands in training camp and hung around the team’s practice squad but never threatened to displace Pat Ricard. —Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2024

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