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]
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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.
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
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
It’s also acting as a hedge against dollar debasement and geopolitical uncertainties, both of which continue to hang over markets heading into the back half of the first quarter.
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
City Councilman Curren Price can move forward to trial, ensuring the misconduct scandal will hang over the veteran politician’s final year in office.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2026
I would definitely tend to hang over park benches.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
