hinge on

Idioms  

1. Also, hinge upon. Depend or be contingent on, as in This plan hinges on her approval. This expression employs the verb hinge in the sense of “to hang,” as a door would hang on a hinge, a usage dating from the early 1700s.

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Example Sentences

A successful meeting, and international diplomacy, can hinge on the slightest missed protocol, an unexpected miscue or even a bit of saliva left on a fork.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

He also took Newcastle back into the Champions League, but this season has turned sour and Howe is another manager whose fate may hinge on what happens in the rest of the campaign.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

“As for further declines in oil, that will hinge on the pace of recovery in exports from the Persian Gulf,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

Gold’s near-term moves hinge on incoming U.S. data, Fed signals and geopolitical developments, he notes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

But L.V. knew how much emotion and energy had been wrapped into Boobie’s senior year, how so much of Boobie’s life, as well as his own, seemed to hinge on it.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

Related Words

• depend on
• rest on