hang over
Idioms-
Remain suspended or unsettled, as in They plan to let the vote hang over until the next session . This usage alludes to something suspended or floating in the air. [c. 1200]
-
Also, hang over one's head . Threaten or be imminent, as in I've got that test hanging over me , or A stiff fine is hanging over his head . [Mid-1500s] Also see hang by a thread .
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.
A pair of embarrassing videos continue to hang over her campaign.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026
Especially for the loving family of this young woman, for whom, even many years from now, a touch of heartache will hang over their holidays and family get-togethers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026
Housing cost concerns, intensified by the war in Iran, hang over the typically busy spring buying season.
From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026
In one corner, Biles and Owens have added a potted plant to inject some greenery into the room, while floor-to-ceiling curtains hang over the sliding walls of glass.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 24, 2026
Cereal and milk, toast, bacon, fried eggs—the smells of breakfast seemed to hang over the raft.
From "The River" by Gary Paulsen
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.
