straphanger

American  

[strap-hang-er] / ˈstræpˌhæŋ ər /

noun

1. a passenger who stands in a crowded bus or subway train and holds onto a strap or other support suspended from above.

2. any user of such public transportation.

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straphanger British  

/ ˈstræpˌhæŋə /

noun

1. informal  a passenger in a bus, train, etc, who has to travel standing, esp by holding on to a strap

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Other Word Forms

• straphanging noun

Etymology

Origin of straphanger

First recorded in 1900–05; strap + hanger

Example Sentences

The commuters in “Le Métro” hark back to his early streetcar scenes but now there’s an air of mystery to the straphangers, with the central figure’s face obscured and bisected by a subway pole.

From The Wall Street Journal

When they raise a fist in the air, it looks less like the defiant punch of striking workers or a Black Power salute than like the stance of a straphanger, pendant and insecure.

From New York Times

But as authorities plead for straphangers to ride inside the train, daredevils continue to perform their dangerous stunts on the outside, according to MTA data.

From Seattle Times

“I don’t want to live in a world in which maintaining public order falls to everyday straphangers.”

From Washington Times

Is one of the straphangers the bad guy?

From New York Times

Related Words

• driver
• passenger
• traveler