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

Hanging over the sector is the fear of product announcements from Anthropic and rivals, which suggest to some investors that new AI tools may disrupt software business models.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

Hanging on the wall is a large portrait of Iran's last shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was ousted in the Islamic revolution and died in exile.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

The pair first travelled to The Hanging Gardens in Llanidloes, a community project focused on resilience and creativity, before going on to visit an art gallery in Newtown.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

Hanging Stones is sold out until September, with tickets after that being made available - and likely snapped up fast - later this month.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

“What? Hanging out with you? Or”—she made a sweeping gesture at the town—“this?”

From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner