Hang out meaning
Hang out means to spend time somewhere or with someone, relaxing. It can also mean to put wet clothes outside on a line to dry.
hang out
hang out · hung · hanging
We usually hang out at the park after school.
Hang out 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
Spend time somewhere or with someone, relaxing
hang out
- We usually hang out at the park after school.
- Do you want to hang out this weekend?
- I don’t hang out with them much any more.
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2
Put wet clothes outside on a line to dry
hang something out
- It’s sunny, so I’ll hang out the washing.
- Can you hang the towels out before you leave?
- Don’t hang it out now. It’s going to rain.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use hang out 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 out separable?
When it means spend time, hang out has no object. Use with for people and at or in for places: hang out with friends, hang out at the mall.
A hangout, one word, is a place where people often spend time: The café is a popular student hangout. The washing meaning is mostly UK.
Verb tenses for hang out
| Present | I hang out · she hangs out |
|---|---|
| Past | hung out |
| Present perfect | have hung out |
| -ing form | hanging out |
Common mistakes with hang out
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: I hung out my friends on Saturday.
Right: I hung out with my friends on Saturday.
Use with before the people.
Wrong: We hanged out at the beach.
Right: We hung out at the beach.
The past of hang here is hung; hanged is only for killing someone with a rope.
Wrong: Let’s hang out in a meeting about the budget.
Right: Let’s have a meeting about the budget.
Hang out is for relaxed free time, not work.
Synonyms and opposites of hang out
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- hang aroundstay somewhere doing nothing much, often waiting
- chill outrelax, alone or with others
- meet upcome together at a planned time
Opposite
- keep to yourselfspend time alone, not with others
- stay instay at home and not go out
Hang out quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1On Fridays we ___ at Leo’s house and play games.
Hang out means spend relaxed time together.
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2Choose the right sentence.
The past is hung, and you hang out with someone.
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3“The washing is dry. I hung it out this morning.” What did the speaker do?
Hang out the washing means put it on a line to dry.
More phrasal verbs with hang
4 phrasal verbs start with hang. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Hang out FAQ
Questions people ask about hang out.
What does wanna hang out mean?
It is an informal way to ask Do you want to spend some time together? It is common between friends, and it can be the start of a date.
What is a hangout?
A hangout is a place where people often meet and relax, like a café or a park.
Is hang out informal?
Yes, it is informal. Use it with friends. In formal writing, say spend time.
Use hang out 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.