hangout
Americannoun
-
a place where people gather for casual socializing or recreation.
The pub is an ultracasual hangout, mostly frequented by undergraduates from the local university.
-
a place that a person frequently visits, especially for socializing or recreation.
The record store was one of my favorite neighborhood hangouts when I was a kid.
verb phrase
-
to lean or be suspended through an opening.
If you hang out the window that far, you're likely to fall right out!
-
to suspend in open view; display.
Her family hangs out the flag every day, not just on holidays.
-
Informal. to frequent a particular place, especially in one's free time.
We’ve all got friends who would rather hang out at a bookstore with a glass of wine than go clubbing.
-
Informal. to linger or loiter somewhere.
We’ve got nothing better to do, so we’ll probably just hang out.
-
Informal. to spend time with someone.
I’d love the chance to hang out with some like-minded folks.
-
Informal. to wait, especially briefly.
Hang out a minute while I get my backpack.
-
Slang. to calm down.
Hang out, Mom, I'm OK.
Etymology
Origin of hangout
An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; noun use of verb phrase hang out
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Giuliana Calia, a Ph.D. student in New York, and her partner, a medical student in Michigan, had to cancel a hangout they had planned for this weekend after Spirit’s closure.
From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026
While the gym isn't their main hangout, it's a big one, they admit.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
But I find that I miss, unexpectedly, the culture of the potluck hangout: the casual gathering built around the modest premise that everyone brings something and the group shares.
From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026
This no-device speakeasy would be less structured around work and more like a hangout: Someone just kicks off a conversation and folks follow on.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026
Over the past few years, the Basement had become a highly exclusive hangout for elite gunters.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
