HANGING ON Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

hanging on

verb

present participle of hang on

as in keeping up

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as in holding on

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanging on

Verb

One challenge is keeping up with tech that is always evolving.

— Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
Companies in this space routinely warn investors that this is an unpredictable source of business risk, since selling a consumer product globally means keeping up with an ever-shifting global safety regulation patchwork.

— Alison J. Stein, HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of keeping up

Verb

There’s nothing wrong with holding on to childhood and being a little immature from time to time.

— Loren Savini, Allure, 22 Aug. 2026
That puts me in the same boat as many millennials and Gen Zers holding on to the family phone plan, one of their last financial ties to their parents.

— Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of holding on

Verb

Heitz Cellar’s current winemaker Brittany Sherwood is carrying on the tradition of stunning selections by using only organic and biodynamic Napa Valley grapes.

— Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026
What began as a single title has since grown into more than 400 books and counting, with Mike Berenstain now carrying on the family legacy.

— Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of carrying on

Verb

In the logic of edutainment, random children hanging around in the company of a plush creature is nothing noteworthy.

— Alison Willmore, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
At the Vetements show, Jayden looked like a pro in a white tank top tucked into a pair of light wash jeans with a brown leather belt and silver chains hanging around his hips.

— Emma Banks, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of hanging around

Verb

Tehran has about 20 million barrels of crude oil on tankers in Asia waiting to discharge to China, the main recipient of Iranian oil, that is a source of revenue, Smith said.

— Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Law enforcement officers were instead waiting for him at the mobile home park, the report said.

— Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of waiting

Verb

There may be a new DC Universe under James Gunn and Peter Safran, but Xolo Maridueña is sticking around.

— Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
After originally planning to stay on anyway, Alice has decided to seek other opportunities and would like a letter of recommendation after sticking around for Ted’s transition period.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of sticking around

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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“Hanging on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanging%20on. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of hanging on

verb

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