belong
Americanverb (used without object)
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to be in the relation of a member, adherent, inhabitant, etc. (usually followed byto ).
He belongs to the Knights of Columbus.
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to have the proper qualifications, especially social qualifications, to be a member of a group.
You don't belong in this club.
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to be proper or due; be properly or appropriately placed, situated, etc..
Books belong in every home. This belongs on the shelf. He is a statesman who belongs among the great.
verb phrase
verb
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(foll by to) to be the property or possession (of)
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(foll by to) to be bound to (a person, place, or club) by ties of affection, dependence, allegiance, or membership
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to be classified (with)
this plant belongs to the daisy family
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(foll by to) to be a part or adjunct (of)
this top belongs to the smaller box
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to have a proper or usual place
that plate belongs in the cupboard
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informal to be suitable or acceptable, esp socially
although they were rich, they just didn't belong
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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belongsimple
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belongssimple
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have belongedperfect
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has belongedperfect
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am belongingprogressive
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are belongingprogressive
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is belongingprogressive
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have been belongingperfect progressive
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has been belongingperfect progressive
Past
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belongedsimple
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had belongedperfect
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was belongingprogressive
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were belongingprogressive
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had been belongingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of belong
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English belongen, from be- be- + longen “to belong,” verb derivative of long (adjective), Old English gelang “belonging to, dependent on”; cf. along ( def. ), long 3 ( def. )
Explanation
Things that belong to you are your property — in other words, you own them. Your prized rock collection belongs to you. There are several ways to use the verb belong. Items you buy or that are given to you belong to you. You also belong to a group of friends — you fit in, or are a member. When you feel at home somewhere, as though you're meant to be there, you also belong: "I belong in a big city!" The 14th century meaning of belong was "to go along with," from be- and longen, "to go."
Vocabulary lists containing belong
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
For constitutional meaning to be legitimately popular, it must belong to everyone.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
"We want all children to see themselves represented on screen and to feel that they belong in the stories we tell," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
Her inevitable set closer “Man I Need” is the caliber of a track that will outlive her and all of us, a song that will always belong to the lovers yet to come.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
According to a Pew Research Center survey, only about 30% of Indians belong to “general castes” ineligible for caste-based quota benefits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
“But I have some things that belong to you. For your mom.”
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
South Korea is one of the most technologically advanced countries on earth, yet where it belongs in global stock indexes has been debated for years.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
On the pitch, the tournament belongs to stars like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Popular constitutionalism reflects a simple ideal: The Constitution belongs not just to the courts, but to all of us.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
"Spain belongs to those who love it and work for it. Not to those who shame it with xenophobic statements."
From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026
This house, the farmhouse with the big round table and chef’s kitchen, belongs to Emmett and George.
From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers
We danced because everything was not fine, because the body needed proof it still belonged to the living.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
"I missed them, and they felt increasingly distant, like they belonged to another world."
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
The force declined to identify the property's owner for privacy reasons, but Barcelona-based daily La Vanguardia said the house belonged to the 19-year-old Spain forward.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
The houses and buildings belonged to U.S. citizens, who had emigrated to Dearborn, Mich., which together with neighboring Dearborn Heights is home to the largest Lebanese-American population in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
It was the proper response, mind you, quite customary to the particular warrior clan to which Major Puff belonged.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
But the lower house's broader approach demanding social media platforms refuse new users under 15 and suspend accounts belonging to children under that age prevailed.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
That same evening, Khalife called Khan using a phone belonging to a member of the public and they spoke for around a minute, the prosecution added.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
In one meeting, church leaders pulled out a Clearwater map showing properties belonging to the church and Scientologist-run companies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
What makes an influencer decide to trademark a phrase that people recognize as belonging to the internet?
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
Wrapping my arms around my waist against the cold, I cross the street to the house belonging to Mrs. Veenstra and stand on the steps, my back facing Mrs. Janssen's home.
From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
