dangle

American  

[dang-guhl] / ˈdæŋ gəl /

verb (used without object)

• dangles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• dangled,
  past participle,  past
• dangling
  present participle

1. to hang loosely, especially with a jerking or swaying motion.

   The rope dangled in the breeze.

   Synonyms:

   flap, sway, swing

2. to hang around or follow a person, as if seeking favor or attention.

3. 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.

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verb (used with object)

• dangles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• dangled,
  past participle,  past
• dangling
  present participle

1. to cause to dangle; hold or carry swaying loosely.

2. to offer as an inducement.

noun

1. the act of dangling.

2. something that dangles.

idioms

1. keep someone dangling, to keep someone in a state of uncertainty.

dangle British  

/ ˈdæŋɡəl /

verb

1. to hang or cause to hang freely

   his legs dangled over the wall

2. (tr) to display as an enticement

   the hope of a legacy was dangled before her

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noun

1. the act of dangling or something that dangles

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• dangler
  noun
• danglingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• dangling
  present
• dangled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• dangle
  simple
• dangles
  simple
• have dangled
  perfect
• has dangled
  perfect
• am dangling
  progressive
• are dangling
  progressive
• is dangling
  progressive
• have been dangling
  perfect progressive
• has been dangling
  perfect progressive

Past

• dangled
  simple
• had dangled
  perfect
• was dangling
  progressive
• were dangling
  progressive
• had been dangling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will dangle
  simple
• will have dangled
  perfect
• will be dangling
  progressive
• will have been dangling
  perfect progressive

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!"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dangle dangles dangled dangling

Talley’s suncatchers dangle in the air and catch the light, an homage to algae’s most impactful contribution: producing over half of the world’s oxygen, which they do using energy from the sun.

From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2026

Sticky, translucent strings dangle from Wesley Smith's chopsticks as the American tourist relishes his natto, the loved-and-hated Japanese fermented soybean superfood going global one slimy mouthful at a time.

From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026

Suggesting emergence rather than collapse, a winged metal woman rises from a hospital bed, bathed in multicolored light projected across the walls, while translucent metallic fragments dangle overhead.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026

I avoided installing TikTok, but other apps figured out how to dangle similar fare.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026

Enormous purple feather earrings dangle from her earlobes, and there are thick stripes of eyeliner outlining her big brown eyes.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

My free hand dangles close enough to touch the sand.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026

A swing dangles lazily in the middle of the room.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 11, 2026

It recently revamped its program, introducing a three-tier structure that offers ways to earn points faster, but also dangles exclusive merchandise and curated experiences for its top-tier members.

From Barron's ● Feb. 26, 2026

Red with large flares at her hips and ankles, she resembled the vintage biplane Cruise dangles from in the film.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2025

A glistening crown pendant dangles from a gold rope chain.

From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas

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

Sanchez also dangled the prospect of a massive port deal for American investors -- one that would rival a Chinese port concession at Chancay north of Lima that has long irked the White House.

From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026

If one looks back on fairly recent American history, Richard Nixon dangled pardons in front of the various Watergate conspirators, directly and indirectly.

From Slate ● Apr. 16, 2026

The rope dangled from her fingers, and she narrowed her eyes as the sukkah gave a little shudder.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

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

Footage from inside showed rescue workers in orange overalls and white helmets picking their way through a mass of twisted steel, dangling cables and chunks of ceiling.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

Wizened and creased, with a hoop the size of a quarter dangling in his left ear, he relies on gestures—shrugs, grimaces, guffaws—to flesh out responses that lean terse.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

Tom Cruise spends the movie running through New Jersey with two terrified kids while ash drifts through the streets and giant alien war machines scoop humans into dangling metal cages.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026

I lay back flat on the rock with my feet dangling in the cool creek water.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney

Related Words

• droop
• flap
• hang
• sling
• sway
• swing