The Phrasal Verb 'Hang On' Explained
- Phrasal Verbs Explained
- Sep 26
- 12 min read
An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'hang on' from a native speaker, with lots of examples in context
Hello and welcome to my website for English learners all about phrasal verbs where I explain their different meanings to help you understand, learn and use them like a native.
In this article, the phrasal verb that will be going under the microscope is 'hang on'. I imagine that many of you reading this will know this phrasal verb as it is common, however did you know that there are at least 8 different ways to use it in English? In this post, I will explain these 8 different ways to you and provide you with lots of example sentences for each one. So, without further ado, let's make a start....
TABLE OF CONTENTS (Click to jump to each one)
I love writing this blog & helping learners but I receive very little feedback as to how useful it is or if people enjoy & learn from it. Therefore, if you find the post useful, please like & share it or leave a comment at the end. I'd be very grateful. Thank you! James 😊 |
THE BASICS
HANG ON: KEY INFORMATION
Usage | Common |
Number of meanings | 8 |
Past tense forms | Hung on / Hung on |
Separable? | Sometimes |
All phrasal verbs are formed by combining two separate individual words to form a new lexical unit with its own meanings. In the case of 'hang on', the two words that we are combining are the verb 'to hang' and the prepositional particle 'on'.
The verb 'to hang' is a common irregular verb in the English language with a number of different meanings. I would say that the most common of these is to suspend an object by attaching the top part of it to something, while leaving the bottom part free to dangle or swing in the air. It is also quite a special verb as one of its meanings (to kill someone by hanging them from a rope) has its own past tense form: 'hanged', as opposed to the standard past tense form: 'hung'. Moreover, 'to hang' is used in a large amount of phrasal verbs, such as 'hang out', 'hang back' and this one 'hang on'.
Can I hang my coat somewhere?
The decorations were hanging on the Christmas tree
Sally hung the clothes out to dry in the sunshine.
The murdered was hanged for his crimes.
The word 'on', like many other particles, is extremely common and is used in a huge number of ways in modern English. Its main meaning however is probably 'to be physically in contact with and supported by a surface' e.g. on the table or on a wall. When used in phrasal verbs 'on' can be used to add various different ideas like continuation (carry on), progress (get on), targeting (pick on) and activation (turn on), among others.
So, now that we have covered the basics, let's dive into the different meanings of the phrasal verb 'hang on'....
MEANING 1: Literal
CEFR Language Level | A2 - Elementary |
Usage | Common |
Where is it used? | Everywhere |
Potential synonyms | To hang, to hang up, to suspend |
Separable? | Yes |
Let's begin our exploration of the phrasal verb 'hang on' with the literal meaning of the two words when they are combined. This first application of 'hang on' that we will cover is not really a true phrasal verb meaning as it is simply talking about the action of hanging an object on something that supports it, such as a hook, a nail or even a Christmas tree.
Beth hung her coat on the rack by the door.
Please hang your backpack on the hook, so it doesn’t fall.
Robert hung the picture on the wall above the fireplace.
You can hang your towel on the bar after you’ve had a shower.
Alternatively, it is also possible to use this from a more passive perspective to advise that something is hanging somewhere or was hung somewhere.
Where has my coat gone? It was hanging by the door!
The decorations have all been hung on the Christmas tree and it looks lovely.
MEANING 2: To grip something with your hands
CEFR Language Level | B1 - Intermediate |
Usage | Common |
Where is it used? | Everywhere |
Potential synonyms | To hold tight, to grip, to grasp, to cling |
Separable? | No |
Do you enjoy rides like roller coasters or big wheels? Well if you do, this second application of 'hang on' will be a very useful one for you as it means 'to grip something with your hands', which is exactly what you need to do when you are whizzing around at speed on a fairground ride.
Nouns commonly used with this application....
|
To clarify, we use this particular application when we need to hold something tightly for safety, support or both. It is very similar to the phrasal verb synonym 'hold on', however 'hang on' is perhaps a little more informal and used more in spoken English. It is often used when there is some sort of danger or risk and if you do not 'hang on', you could be injured or, in extreme cases, killed.
Consequently, it is regularly used in the imperative form, often followed by 'tight' or 'tightly' to tell the person to grip firmly.
Hang on to the railing, the steps are slippery and you could fall.
The child hung on to his mother’s hand while crossing the street.
Hang on tight! The roller coaster is about to start!
The fallen climber hung on to the edge of the cliff until help arrived.
Debbie hung on to the rope as the boat rocked in the huge waves.
The monkey hung on to the tree branch with both hands.
Louis had to hang on to the side of the bus as it sped around the corner.
MEANING 3: To wait for a short period
CEFR Language Level | B1 - Intermediate |
Usage | Common |
Where is it used? | British English |
Potential synonyms | To wait, to hold on, to stop |
Separable? | No |
The third application of 'hang on' is a primarily British one that means 'to wait for a short period of time'.
This usage is an informal one that is mostly used in spoken British English and, like the previous application, is also a synonym of 'hold on', which is likely to be more familiar to learners of American English. Typically, when a speaker says 'hang on' it is to ask the other person / people to wait for a short period of time like a few seconds or a couple of minutes.
As such, it is common to hear the expressions 'hang on a second' or 'hang on a minute' being used here (or extremely informally even 'hang on a min' and 'hang on a sec').
Hang on, I’ll be ready in just a minute.
Could you hang on while I find that file for you?
Hang on, let me check who’s at the door.
If you don't mind hanging on a second, I’ll print the document.
Could you hang on until the manager gets back?
Hang on a second, this won’t take long.
Just hang on, the show is about to begin.
Another way that British speakers use this application is when they think of something that is interesting or notice something that is incorrect and they want to make others aware of it, sometimes by stopping the flow of a conversation.
Hang on, you said that you were at home sick on Friday night, so why is there a picture of you on Facebook in the bar?
Hang on, that is not right - we need to do it another way.
Hang on a minute, I've just had a brilliant idea about what to do for James' party
BONUS: To keep someone hanging on
Whilst we are on the subject of waiting, I want to make you aware of the expression 'to keep someone hanging on', which means to keep someone waiting for something like a decision or information that you want or need. As a result, the person who is waiting in suspense continues to have high interest in the other person or pays them a lot of attention.
You should know that there is also a similar expression, which means the same: to leave someone hanging.
This expression is something that you often hear about in romantic relationships and therefore has featured in many songs over the years, like this 80s gem (that was originally a 60s classic)....
MEANING 4: To depend on something
CEFR Language Level | B2 - Upper intermediate |
Usage | Medium |
Where is it used? | Everywhere |
Potential synonyms | To depend on, to be contingent on, to hinge on, to be conditional on |
Separable? | No |
Let's now move on to our fourth application of the phrasal verb 'hang on', which is 'to depend on something'.
Nouns commonly used with this application....
|
When we say that one thing hangs on another, it is exactly the same as saying that one thing depends on it, meaning that it will be directly affected or decided by it. In other words, one thing can only happen when something else allows it to or makes it possible.
As a result, this application is often used in life situations in which decisions must be made and outcomes must be reached, e.g. court cases, test results.
Michael's success hangs on whether he passes the final exam.
The outcome of the trial hangs on a single piece of evidence.
The decision of the medics hangs on the results of the medical test.
Our holiday plans hang on the weather this weekend.
The future of the project hangs on the approval of the board.
Emma's reputation will hang on how she handles this situation.
The team’s chances of winning hang on their star player’s performance.
Everything hangs on what happens in the next few hours.
MEANING 5: To blame someone for something
CEFR Language Level | C1 - Advanced |
Usage | Medium |
Where is it used? | Everywhere |
Potential synonyms | To blame |
Separable? | Yes |
Have you ever been in a situation where you have been blamed for something, even though you did not do it? This is something that happens to lots of people and our fifth application of the phrasal verb 'hang on' is used to describe exactly this situation.
Most of the time with this usage, a person is accused of doing something or blamed for something that they did not do. In many cases, it can be the real culprit who blames the innocent person as a way of avoiding getting caught for what they did.
You should note that to use this application, you should follow a set structure, outlined below:
to hang something on someone
The 'something' mentioned above is usually a crime, wrongdoing, failure, fault or problem of some sort and the 'someone' is the person who receives the blame.
Lastly, you should note that this usage is another informal one that is more commonly heard in American English, although it would be understood by almost all native English speakers.
They tried to hang the mistake on the new employee but the manager soon realised.
Don’t hang this failure on me; I wasn’t even there!
Phil always hangs his problems on other people instead of taking responsibility for them.
Sue didn’t want the accident to be hung on her, since it wasn’t her fault.
How dare you try and hang this on me! I had nothing to do with it and you know it!
You should be aware that the management might try and hang this on you so that they do not need to explain their actions to the shareholders.
MEANING 6: To listen carefully to someone
CEFR Language Level | C1 - Advanced |
Usage | Medium |
Where is it used? | Everywhere |
Potential synonyms | To listen, to concentrate on |
Separable? | No |
Maybe one day if I ever get the time, I might start recording video clips to explain phrasal verbs. If I do, I hope that my viewers will hang on attentively to what I say. The reason that I am telling you this is that the sixth meaning of the phrasal verb 'hang on' is exactly that: 'to listen carefully to what someone says'.
We use this application when a listener is extremely focussed on or deeply interested in what the speaker is saying and they want to hear more. It is almost like they are transfixed or hypnotised by the person's words, although not quite as strong as that but you get the idea I'm sure.
You should also note that this application tends to follow a set expression, which is "to hang on to a person's every word", however there are other variations of this too.
Most of the time, this usage is heard when the speaker is very interesting, when the listener greatly admires the speaker or even when the listener has a sexual or romantic interest in the speaker.
The students hung on every word their teacher said.
Samantha hung on Logan's every word, eager to hear what he would say next.
The audience hung on the speaker’s words throughout the whole lecture.
Jason loved telling stories and the children would hang on his every word when he did.
The young players hung on the coach’s words, waiting for their last-minute instructions.
The crowd hung on the politician’s words, hoping for good news.
Poppy always hung on her grandmother’s words whenever she shared old family stories.
The fans hung on the singer’s every word during the interview.
MEANING 7: To keep hold of something
CEFR Language Level | C1 - Advanced |
Usage | Common |
Where is it used? | Everywhere |
Potential synonyms | To keep, to retain |
Separable? | No |
Our seventh and penultimate meaning of the phrasal verb 'hang on' is a very common one that means 'to keep hold of something'.
To explain, when I say 'keep hold of something', what I mean is to retain something in your possession and not give it away, sell it or get rid of it somehow. It stays with you and continues to belong to you.
For example, imagine that you borrow a phone charger from a friend as you have lost yours. Once you have charged your phone, you try to give the charger back and your friend tells you to "hang on to it" (keep it) as that is their spare charger and they have another one.
Another example would be if you are clearing out your attic and you come across all of your old school books. You then have to make a decision about throwing them away or hanging on to them (keeping them).
On a grammatical note, for this application we require the additional preposition 'to' and for this it is possible to see two variations: 'to hang on to' and 'to hang onto'. Both variations are deemed to be correct and have no difference in meaning, however the three-word version 'hang on to' is considered to be the most grammatically correct.
Rachel decided to hang on to her old books instead of selling them.
I think you should hang on to that jacket; it might come back into fashion one day.
Paul hung on to his first car even though it had a lot of problems.
They’re going to hang on to the house until the market improves.
Rosalind hung on to the necklace because it was a family heirloom.
I think I'll hang on to these receipts in case we need them later.
Joseph hung on to his childhood toys for sentimental reasons.
The Jones family want to hang on to their land rather than sell it to developers.
Bella hung on to the letter for years, unable to throw it away.
Nick decided to hang on to his shares, hoping their value would rise.
MEANING 8: To persevere
CEFR Language Level | C1 - Advanced |
Usage | Medium |
Where is it used? | Everywhere |
Potential synonyms | To persevere, to persist, to continue, to keep at it, to struggle on |
Separable? | No |
We've now reached our eighth and final application of the phrasal verb 'hang on', which means 'persevere' and is something that you may have done if you have read this entire article in one go 😀
If you're not sure what the verb 'to persevere' means, it is 'to continue to do something despite difficulties or challenges' and this usage of 'hang on' means the exact same thing. In other words, you persist with something although it is hard.
As you can imagine, this application is normally used for any situations or scenarios which are difficult for the person experiencing them and for which a lot of effort and determination are required. This could be anything from running a marathon, to being involved in a court case or writing a blog about phrasal verbs. The idea is that you do not stop when things become hard but rather continue until you succeed.
One common variation of this that you may come across from time to time is 'to hang on in there!'. We use this nice little expression normally as a phrase of encouragement for other people to say is like saying "don't give up!" or "you can do this!".
Times are tough, but we just have to hang on until things get better.
Vernon hung on through months of pain and finally recovered.
The team hung on despite being outnumbered and managed to win.
Amy’s hanging on, even though the workload is immense.
The company is hanging on with the hope of attracting new investors.
Becky hung on to her dream, even when everyone else doubted her
Come on Louise hang on in there! Only 2 miles of the marathon left to run.
Hang on in there, Michelle. We know you will survive this.
We have now reached the end of this post and I just want to say thank you for clicking on my post and reading it. I hope that you've enjoyed it and have been able to learn something new about the phrasal verb 'hang on'. If you enjoyed this post, please go ahead and check out some of my other posts.
Now it is YOUR turn. Can you think of a sentence yourself using 'hang on'. Write it in the comments section below if you can, or alternatively any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have....don't be shy!!!
Sign up on the form below if you want to receive new blog posts directly by email every week as soon as they are published.
Also, if you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media. See you next time! James 😊
THE END
Awesome!