hanging

American  

[hang-ing] / ˈhæŋ ɪŋ /

noun

hangings plural

1. the act, an instance, or the form of capital punishment carried out by suspending one by the neck from a gallows, gibbet, or the like, until dead.

2. Often hangings. something that hangs or is hung on the walls of a room, as a drapery or tapestry.

3. a suspending or temporary attaching, as of a painting.

   a careless hanging of pictures.

---

adjective

1. punishable by, deserving, or causing death by hanging.

   a hanging crime; a hanging offense.

2. inclined to inflict death by hanging.

   a hanging jury.

3. suspended; pendent; overhanging.

   a hanging cliff.

4. situated on a steep slope or at a height.

   a hanging garden.

5. directed downward.

   a hanging look.

6. made, holding, or suitable for a hanging object.

hanging British  

/ ˈhæŋɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. the putting of a person to death by suspending the body by the neck from a noose

   2. ( as modifier )

      a hanging offence

2. (often plural) a decorative textile such as a tapestry or drapery hung on a wall or over a window

3. the act of a person or thing that hangs

---

adjective

1. not supported from below; suspended

2. undecided; still under discussion

3. inclining or projecting downwards; overhanging

4. situated on a steep slope or in a high place

5. (prenominal) given to issuing harsh sentences, esp death sentences

   a hanging judge

6. informal unpleasant

7. chess See hanging pawn

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unhanging
  adjective
• hangingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• hangings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hanging

1250–1300; Middle English (noun, adj.), Old English hangande (adj.) See hang, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

Her hanging proved instrumental in ending the death penalty in Britain.

From Barron's • Jul. 8, 2026

It uncovered tactics including: excessive and unnecessary call transfers, deliberately hanging up calls, repeated attempts to pressure customers to stay, and unnecessarily and repeatedly keeping customers on hold.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026

At the end of the video, Barrymore let her hair down and snapped a selfie against one of the walls in the RV, on which an oven mitt could be seen hanging from a hook.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 8, 2026

She redecorated her childhood bedroom to match her adult aesthetic, tearing down her Twilight posters and choir awards and hanging a floral tapestry and framed landscapes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 5, 2026

“I was hanging out with a friend who lives near here. And now I’m just waiting for my Uber.”

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold