hanging

American  

[hang-ing] / ˈhæŋ ɪŋ /

noun

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.

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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

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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

• hangingly adverb
• unhanging adjective

Etymology

Origin of hanging

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

Example Sentences

She displayed “Poppy,” a squeegee abstract in cheery red and blue hues, in her living room, with an untitled version in subtler white and green hues from 2009 hanging in her bedroom.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

With the $505 million termination fee hanging over any transaction, no acquisition deal has been announced in the six months since Braemar hung a “For Sale” sign.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

“You’d go during Redlands Market Night, people would be hanging out, so all your friends would kind of meet up for that one night a week.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

U.S. indexes were modestly lower in early trading on Thursday, although stocks were still hanging on to most of their gains from Wednesday.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

“Hey there,” she calls, and I wonder if she knows how weird it is that Jonah and I are together right now, or if she never noticed we’d stopped hanging out.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison