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• hang-on
  hang-on

  noun

  something easily attached to or mounted on another surface or object, as a turbocharger or transceiver in an automobile, a unit suspendable from shelving, or a portable soap dish.
• hang on
  hang on

  verb

  (adverb) to continue or persist in an activity, esp with effort or difficulty

hang-on

American  

[hang-on, -awn] / ˈhæŋˌɒn, -ˌɔn /

noun

1. something easily attached to or mounted on another surface or object, as a turbocharger or transceiver in an automobile, a unit suspendable from shelving, or a portable soap dish.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or denoting such an attachment.

   A clumsy hang-on unit supplied the air conditioning.

hang on British  

verb

1. (adverb) to continue or persist in an activity, esp with effort or difficulty

   hang on at your present job until you can get another

2. (adverb) to cling, grasp, or hold

   she hangs on to her mother's arm

3. (preposition) to be conditioned or contingent on; depend on

   everything hangs on this business deal

4. Also: hang onto.   hang upon.  (preposition) to listen attentively to

   she hung on his every word

5. informal (adverb) to wait or remain

   hang on for a few minutes

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hang on Idioms  

1. hang on to . Cling tightly to something, retain, as in Hang on to those papers before they blow away . [Mid-1800s] Also see hang on to your hat .

2. Continue persistently, persevere, as in This cough is hanging on much longer than I expected , or He was hanging on, hoping business would improve when interest rates went down . This usage was sometimes embellished to , meaning “to persist at any cost.” [Second half of 1800s]

3. Keep a telephone connection open, as in Please hang on, I'll see if he's in . [First half of 1900s]

4. Wait for a short time, be patient, as in Hang on, I'm getting it as fast as I can . [First half of 1900s]

5. Depend on, as in Our plans hang on their decision about the new park . [ Colloquial ; second half of 1900s]

6. Blame on, as in They'll try to hang that robbery on the same gang, but I don't think they'll succeed . [ Colloquial ; first half of 1900s]

7. hang one on . Get very drunk, as in Come on, let's go and hang one on . [ Slang ; mid-1900s] Also see the subsequent idioms beginning with hang on .

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Etymology

Origin of hang-on

Noun, adj. use of verb phrase hang on

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hang-on hang on

Norman Ten Hundred went out again to hang-on or fall, to uphold the traditions dearly bought by those who had gone over the Divide a few months before.

From Norman Ten Hundred A Record of the 1st (Service) Bn. Royal Guernsey Light Infantry by A. Stanley Blicq

Well, he's not the hang-on sort that Mr. Ferriss was; nothing undecided about Captain Ward Bennett; when he's sick, he's sick; rushes right at it like a blind bull.

From A Man's Woman by Frank Norris

Ever after it was "Uncle Isaac" or "that old hang-on," but always with a lifting of the chin in pride.

From Tides of Barnegat by Francis Hopkinson Smith

"Dere's nodding like hang-on at der critical minute."

From No title by

Well, you've got the hang-on, and that's what an officer-seeker needs.

From The Strength of Gideon and Other Stories by Paul Laurence Dunbar

How did you know to hang on to your IP?

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

“I was like there’s no way, but then I thought ‘Hang on, hang on, hang on,’” Christiane said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

In the face of so many challenges and what they see as little progress, advocates admit it's hard to hang on to hope.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Everyone will hang on the words of Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, a man who has made a public point of saying as little as possible.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

Besides, there was always the additional hazard that the mouse might hang on to him and shout for help until it came.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Related Words

• cling
• go on
• grasp
• hold on
• hold out
• persevere
• persist