Showing results for "belonging"

• present participle of belong.

belonging

American  

[bih-lawng-ing, -long-] / bɪˈlɔŋ ɪŋ, -ˈlɒŋ- /

noun

belongings plural

1. something that belongs.

2. belongings, possessions; goods; personal effects.

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belonging British  

/ bɪˈlɒŋɪŋ /

noun

1. secure relationship; affinity (esp in the phrase a sense of belonging )

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unbelonging
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• belongings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of belonging

First recorded in 1595–1605; belong + -ing ¹

Explanation

Belonging is a sense of fitting in or feeling like you are an important member of a group. A really close family gives each of its members a strong sense of belonging. When you belong, you are an official part of a group ("She belongs to the French club") or you're compatible with certain people or suited to a specific place ("I just belong in nature"). A feeling of belonging describes this sense of truly fitting or meshing, especially with friends, family members, or other sympathetic folks.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

belonging belongings

To investigate further, the team re examined every fossil bone previously identified as belonging to geese.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026

The paper said that many had, including a private investigator hacking into a phone belonging to the murdered teenager Milly Dowler, for a News of the World story.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

The small open spaces of the La Lucha neighborhood are filled with tents belonging to residents anxiously awaiting government repairs to their homes.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

What makes an influencer decide to trademark a phrase that people recognize as belonging to the internet?

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

There had been a time when we, too, had benefited—those days seemed very remote now, almost belonging to another life—but we had lost more than we had gained or could ever regain.

From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya

A block away from the former Pfizer building, guests who had been evacuated from the Hampton Inn the day before waited on the street corner Wednesday morning to get inside to retrieve luggage and belongings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

State courts have repeatedly ruled that there is no single way to determine where someone lives, and judges must consider multiple factors, such as where a voter sleeps or stores personal belongings.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

He can return home one time with law enforcement to collect his belongings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

"I made some difficult decisions... I had to sell household belongings," said Safi, his white beard matching the colour of his clothes.

From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026

Before leaving the National Hotel, Booth slid the knife and pistol into his pockets and gathered the rest of his belongings.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson