hinge

American  

[hinj] / hɪndʒ /

noun

hinges plural

1. a jointed device or flexible piece on which a door, gate, shutter, lid, or other attached part turns, swings, or moves.

2. a natural anatomical joint at which motion occurs around a transverse axis, as that of the knee or a bivalve shell.

3. that on which something is based or depends; pivotal consideration or factor.

4. Also called mount.  Philately. a gummed sticker for affixing a stamp to a page of an album, so folded as to form a hinge, allowing the stamp to be raised to reveal the text beneath.

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verb (used without object)

hinges, present (3rd person singular) hinged, past participle, past hinging present participle

1. to be dependent or contingent on, or as if on, a hinge (usually followed by on orupon ).

   Everything hinges on his decision.

   Synonyms:

   depend, pivot, swing, rest

verb (used with object)

hinges, present (3rd person singular) hinged, past participle, past hinging present participle

1. to furnish with or attach by a hinge or hinges.

2. to attach as if by a hinge.

3. to make or consider as dependent upon; predicate.

   He hinged his action on future sales.

hinge British  

/ hɪndʒ /

noun

1. a device for holding together two parts such that one can swing relative to the other, typically having two interlocking metal leaves held by a pin about which they pivot

2. Technical name: ginglymus.  anatomy a type of joint, such as the knee joint, that moves only backwards and forwards; a joint that functions in only one plane

3. a similar structure in invertebrate animals, such as the joint between the two halves of a bivalve shell

4. something on which events, opinions, etc, turn

5. Also called: mount.  philately a small thin transparent strip of gummed paper for affixing a stamp to a page

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verb

1. (tr) to attach or fit a hinge to (something)

2. (intr; usually foll by on or upon) to depend (on)

3. (intr) to hang or turn on or as if on a hinge

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hinged
  adjective
• hingeless
  adjective
• hingelike
  adjective
• well-hinged
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• hinges
  plural

Participles

• hinging
  present
• hinged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• hinge
  simple
• hinges
  simple
• have hinged
  perfect
• has hinged
  perfect
• am hinging
  progressive
• are hinging
  progressive
• is hinging
  progressive
• have been hinging
  perfect progressive
• has been hinging
  perfect progressive

Past

• hinged
  simple
• had hinged
  perfect
• was hinging
  progressive
• were hinging
  progressive
• had been hinging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will hinge
  simple
• will have hinged
  perfect
• will be hinging
  progressive
• will have been hinging
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of hinge

1250–1300; Middle English henge; cognate with Low German heng ( e ), Middle Dutch henge hinge; akin to hang

Explanation

A hinge is a type of joint that attaches two things together while allowing for limited movement. A door hinge fastens the door to the wall and lets the door swing open. A hinge is a joint that holds two pieces of something together while allowing one piece to move in a swinging motion. When used as a verb, hinge can mean "to attach a hinge." Hinge can also be used to indicate that one key event depends on another, as in “The athlete’s future with the team will hinge on his performance at tonight’s game” or “The success of this product hinges on how many units are sold this month.”

Example Sentences

Tired of the same old dating apps like Bumble and Hinge, Marie Lansley tried talking to an artificial intelligence matchmaker.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2026

When Tamika Young was promoted to the top marketing gig at dating app Hinge last December, she stipulated that she wanted to change the job title.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Founded in 2012 and owned by Match Group, which also owns Tinder and Match.com, Hinge has built its brand around the slogan "designed to be deleted".

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

On Hinge, a new feature allows users to signal their preferred first-date activity to potential matches: While dinner is Gen Z’s most-chosen date activity, it drops to fourth place for Millennials.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

I moved without a word to the door, and, opening it, called out to Hinge, who stood waiting for me in the darkening passage, bidding him to mount.

From In Direst Peril by Murray, David Christie

Related Words

• depend
• revolve around