dangle
Americanverb (used without object)
-
dangles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dangled,
past participle, past
-
dangling
present participle
-
to hang loosely, especially with a jerking or swaying motion.
The rope dangled in the breeze.
-
to hang around or follow a person, as if seeking favor or attention.
-
Grammar. to occur as a modifier without a head or as a participle without an implied subject, as leaving the tunnel in The daylight was blinding, leaving the tunnel.
verb (used with object)
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dangles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dangled,
past participle, past
-
dangling
present participle
-
to cause to dangle; hold or carry swaying loosely.
-
to offer as an inducement.
noun
-
the act of dangling.
-
something that dangles.
idioms
verb
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to hang or cause to hang freely
his legs dangled over the wall
-
(tr) to display as an enticement
the hope of a legacy was dangled before her
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
danglesimple
-
danglessimple
-
have dangledperfect
-
has dangledperfect
-
am danglingprogressive
-
are danglingprogressive
-
is danglingprogressive
-
have been danglingperfect progressive
-
has been danglingperfect progressive
Past
-
dangledsimple
-
had dangledperfect
-
was danglingprogressive
-
were danglingprogressive
-
had been danglingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dangle
1580–90; expressive word akin to Norwegian, Swedish dangla, Danish dangle dangle
Explanation
Dangle means to hang or swing loosely. If you dangle string above a kitten you will both be entertained. The verb dangle probably comes from a late 16th century Danish or Swedish word meaning “loose or pendulous,” though we don’t know for sure. You may have a taste for big, showy earrings that dangle. Or, you might even dangle a possibility — "If you were to dangle the prospect of dessert to a child, then you better follow through!"
Vocabulary lists containing dangle
Keystone Exams: English Composition Glossary
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"Lob's Girl" by Joan Aiken
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The Circuit
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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:
They may create a sense of urgency, offer reassuring answers, and dangle an attractive deal to lower your guard.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026
Colleges are often loath to cut their sticker prices because they like to dangle scholarships to entice students to enroll.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
In the dining room, vintage Doyle Lane ceramic beads dangle from a Mission-style wooden clock while designer handbags are draped over chairs and hat racks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Here’s what can’t be denied: The Sunshine State’s reputation as the nation’s dangle, Heaven’s lobby, and a land of swamp creatures and crocodile wrestlers and Disneyworld and Mar-A-Lago and, somehow, Miami.
From Salon ● Jul. 1, 2026
Moss was not a small guy, a fact he had frequently lamented to himself, but he was shocked when his own feet began to dangle, unable to reach the floor.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
Time stands still at the nearby burnt-out house of the Siman Tov family, where a wind chime dangles by the door.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
It helps that the script soft-pedals why they broke up, although Smith dangles hints of Chuck’s previous bad behavior while sincerely avowing that he’s changed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
“Love Is Blind”’s gamification dangles the promise of a deeper emotional connection, which was especially appealing when lockdowns closed community third spaces and further cemented TV as a dominant cultural hub.
From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2026
She has gathered nature-inspired artworks in “Slow Looking” to draw us in and get us to look for longer, though she dangles the rewards at a distance: “The beauty will not automatically reveal itself.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026
His short hair has zigzags cut into it, and a cross pendant dangles from his neck.
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
In September, he dangled a naked ultimatum: Either ABC “took action” against Kimmel, or the network would face severe regulatory consequences.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
Several members equipped with climbing harnesses clambered up a small tree on the school’s front lawn and dangled from its limbs on climbing ropes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
Regan’s team dangled commissions that could hit 15%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
Once Williams committed to playing doubles, Wimbledon all but dangled a singles wild card in front of Williams’s face.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
He turned to where Sigurd dangled in the air.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
"The situation definitely was dire, 38 people on a boat with legs dangling out of the boat, in the cold weather, without an engine," he said.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
He was, as history now appears to attest, dangling a carrot that he would never allow you to have.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
They are easily identified as Jewish settlers by the white tassels dangling from their hips, a religious garment worn by Orthodox men.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
Their surfaces do not contain dangling bonds, which makes it difficult to grow an extremely thin dielectric film evenly across them.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
We tumbled, me dangling from the chariot front with one hand, the other still clutching the tub as we spun over ourselves.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
