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Hang around means to lounge or linger or to spend time with someone.

If you are hanging around a place, you’re passing time there without doing much, as in My job as a mall security guard meant I spent most of my time hanging around the mall.

If you are hanging around another person, you are keeping them company, as in I like to hang around with my friends on the weekend.

Example: We spent most of our summer vacation hanging around the lake and relaxing.

The first records of hang around come from the mid-1800s. It combines the words hang, meaning “to attach to allow free movement,” and around, meaning “somewhere near or about.”

Sometimes, hang around implies that a person is unwelcome, is up to no good, or is a trespasser. For example, someone might say I saw some suspicious men hanging around the bank.

A similar negative sense is implied when a person uses hang around in reference to people or a group they don’t like, as in Son, I don’t want you hanging around those slick business types. You can’t trust them!

What are some synonyms for hang around?

• loiter
• linger
• lounge
• hang out
• associate with
• fraternize with
• mingle

What are some words that share a root or word element with hang around?��

• hang
• around

What are some words that often get used in discussing hang around?

• idle
• hover
• friends
• group
• associates
• trouble

Hang around is a common phrase that means to spend time somewhere or with someone.

Getting paid to hang around the mall for six hours. There's no one here!

— Tyler Thompson (@curseofmight)

Started running the vacuum this morning and the dog went upstairs and back to bed. She's been hanging around the kids too long.

— Vicki (@Vyckster)

Great win tonight!! Thanks to everybody who hung around after to hang out with me!

— Chandler Parsons (@ChandlerParsons)

True or False?

If you are hanging around with your sister, you are avoiding each other.