Hang around meaning
Hang around means to wait or stay somewhere without doing much. It can also mean to spend a lot of time with someone.
hang around
hang around · hung · hanging
We hung around the airport for six hours.
Hang around meanings and examples
2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Wait or stay somewhere without doing much
hang around
- We hung around the airport for six hours.
- Don’t hang around after class. Go straight home.
- There’s no point hanging around if the shop is closed.
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2
Spend a lot of time with someone
hang around
- He hangs around with older kids from his street.
- I used to hang around with Mia at school.
- Who is she hanging around with these days?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use hang around in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is hang around separable?
Hang around has no object of its own, but you can add the place right after it: hang around the station. For people, use with: hang around with Leo.
UK English also says hang about and hang round. The words often sound slightly negative, as if the person is wasting time.
Verb tenses for hang around
| Present | I hang around · she hangs around |
|---|---|
| Past | hung around |
| Present perfect | have hung around |
| -ing form | hanging around |
Common mistakes with hang around
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: Hang around a second, I’m nearly ready.
Right: Hang on a second, I’m nearly ready.
To ask someone to wait a moment, say hang on.
Wrong: She hangs around her friends a lot.
Right: She hangs around with her friends a lot.
Use with before the people.
Wrong: I hanged around for an hour.
Right: I hung around for an hour.
The past is hung.
Synonyms and opposites of hang around
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- hang outspend relaxed time with friends, more positive
- wait aroundwait without doing anything useful
- loiterformal, stand around a place with no reason
Opposite
- leave straight awaygo at once without waiting
- hurry updo things or move faster
Hang around quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1The bus was late, so we ___ the station for an hour.
Hang around a place means wait there doing nothing much.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use hang around with + people.
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3“I don’t want to hang around. Let’s go.” What does the speaker want?
The speaker does not want to wait there doing nothing.
More phrasal verbs with hang
4 phrasal verbs start with hang. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Hang around FAQ
Questions people ask about hang around.
What is the difference between hang around and hang out?
Hang out is relaxing with friends and sounds positive. Hang around often means waiting or staying somewhere with no purpose.
Is it hang around or hang round?
Both are correct. Hang round and hang about are more British. Hang around is used everywhere.
What does stick around mean?
Stick around means stay a bit longer: Stick around, the band starts soon. It is close to hang around but sounds more positive.
Use hang around in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.