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Glite Dictionary
to hang in

to hang in

167 3.6
To keep trying and not give up when things are hard
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : no rendirse
  • When things get difficult, remember to hang in there; things will get better soon.
  • hang in there

Oh wow, you know, hang in there just to prove them wrong.

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Examples

  • But you got to hang in there through this to create these habits.

  • And yet they managed to hang in there and then become that company.

  • Oh wow, you know, hang in there just to prove them wrong.

    Jay Shetty Podcast

  • You have to hold our hand along, but hang in there with us.

  • Just please just hang in there for three to seven more years.

  • So just hang in there and know that people have your back.

    Theo Von

  • But you got to hang in there, See getting what you want is up to you.

  • The interesting thing is that most of us hang in and fight for it.

  • We need to pool our resources and hang in there until justice is done.

    Blog text (4)

  • "I just want to say that I'm proud of you for hanging in there."

    Fiction book (2001)

Synonyms

to hang
vsto hang in
∞ 2.7

To hold on tightly so you do not let go

is about continuing effort and not quitting rather than physical gripping
to stick with
vsto hang in
341 3.6

Keep doing or supporting something even when it is difficult

emphasizes loyalty and support rather than continued effort to improve or succeed
to endure
vsto hang in
304 3.5

To deal with something difficult for a long time without giving up

focuses on surviving hardship rather than actively continuing to try to succeed
to hold on
vsto hang in
173 3.3

To keep trying and not give up when things are hard

is similar but often implies maintaining position rather than active progress
to hold out
vsto hang in
139 3.7

To refuse to give up until you get what you want

is continuing effort to succeed instead of mainly resisting or waiting
to persist
vsto hang in
62 3.7

To keep doing something or keep holding a belief despite difficulty

is more about stubborn firmness rather than flexible sustained effort
to hang on
vsto hang in
  • Informal
46 3.3

To continue doing something and refuse to give up

is the other common phrasing with identical meaning
to push through
vsto hang in
39 3.6

To keep going despite problems until you finish

is general continuing effort rather than specifically overcoming strong opposition
to persevere
vsto hang in
22 5.1

Keep trying to do something even when it is hard

focuses on general sustained effort rather than goal achievement
to persist in
vsto hang in
20 4.1

To keep doing something even when it is difficult or people disagree

is similar but stresses continuing a specific action rather than general effort
to power through
vsto hang in
  • Informal
8 4.2

Continue and finish a task with strong effort when it is hard or you are tired

is about steady persistence rather than intense finishing despite exhaustion
to keep one's end up
vsto hang in
  • UK
1 7.4

Continue doing your part for the team when things are hard

focuses on fulfilling duties rather than merely not giving up generally
to keep on pushing through
vsto hang in
  • Informal
5.1

To continue to try hard even when things are difficult

is more about steady trying than forceful overcoming of obstacles
to push through adversity
vsto hang in
5.3

To keep trying and do well despite difficult times

focuses on eventual success rather than only continuing effort
to keep one's shoulder to the wheel
vsto hang in
  • Informal
7.7

To work hard and continue when things are difficult

is about continuing to try rather than sustained hard work over time

Antonyms

to give up
∞ 1.2

To stop trying to do something or accept defeat

to quit
653 1.5

To stop trying when something is too hard

How Persistent

to hang in
  • Informal
167 3.6
to persevere
22 5.1

Surface Forms

hang in infinitive
hanging in present participle
hangs in third person singular
hung in past
hung in past participle

Morphology

hang + in

There is a clear connection between 'hang' (to persist or linger) and the MWE meaning of continuing to try, so knowing the verb gives a strong clue. However, the role of the particle 'in' in encoding perseverance is not fully predictable from its literal sense and the phrasal construction is somewhat idiomatic, so learners typically need some exposure to be certain.

Etymology

The expression hang in comes from the simple image of someone holding on to a rope or branch: the hang part is about holding on and the in part is about staying there. So to hang in means 'to keep trying' and 'not give up' when things are hard.