Showing results for "belonging"

• present participle of belong.

belonging

American  

[bih-lawng-ing, -long-] / bɪˈlɔŋ ɪŋ, -ˈlɒŋ- /

noun

• belongings
  plural

1. 

   something that belongs.

2. belongings, possessions; goods; personal effects.

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belonging British  

/ bɪˈlɒŋɪŋ /

noun

1. secure relationship; affinity (esp in the phrase a sense of belonging )

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unbelonging
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• belongings
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of belonging

First recorded in 1595–1605; belong + -ing ¹

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Explanation

Belonging is a sense of fitting in or feeling like you are an important member of a group. A really close family gives each of its members a strong sense of belonging. When you belong, you are an official part of a group ("She belongs to the French club") or you're compatible with certain people or suited to a specific place ("I just belong in nature"). A feeling of belonging describes this sense of truly fitting or meshing, especially with friends, family members, or other sympathetic folks.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

belonging belongings

County has paid out tens of millions of dollars in legal settlements stemming from cases involving deputies accused of belonging to secret societies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

In 2022, researchers introduced the term "altermagnets" for materials belonging to this proposed third magnetic class.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026

Trials began in September for 47 French citizens who were transferred from Syria last year, charged with belonging to the group that controlled large parts of both countries between 2014 and 2017.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

Nežič's asteroid is 10.9km across, while that belonging to his colleague Shane Kelly is 15.6km.

From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026

Faint though it was, Taran recognized it as belonging to the bard.

From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander

I planned a trip to New York to retrieve the few belongings I’d left there, and when I told Matt, he asked whether he could take me out on a proper date.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

The extra time gives outreach workers an opportunity to persuade people to accept services and offer them a chance to secure their belongings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

The Sun and Daily Mail newspapers reported that images had allegedly been found among Markle's belongings at his former home in the Philippines.

From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026

They packed up their belongings and moved from Las Vegas to Georgetown, Texas, where they bought a house in 2023.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

I hid Miss Lilian’s belongings behind my back and tried to edge past him.

From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn

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