dangled; dangling
ˈdaŋ-g(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to hang loosely and usually so as to be able to swing freely
2
: to be a hanger-on or a dependent
3
: to occur in a sentence without having a normally expected syntactic relation to the rest of the sentence (such as climbing in "Climbing the mountain the cabin came into view")
a dangling participle
a dangling modifier
1
: to cause to dangle : swing
dangled her feet in the water
2
a
: to keep hanging uncertainly
b
: to hold out as an inducement
Synonyms
Examples of dangle in a Sentence
Verb
Let your arms dangle at your sides.
She sat on the edge of the pool, dangling her feet in the water.
He dangled a piece of string in front of the cat.
The money she dangled in front of him wasn't enough to convince him to sell.
They refused to accept the money that was dangled before their eyes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Helen Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
The Southern Marin Fire District requested a helicopter at about 7:40 p.m. Sunday; the helicopter used thermal imaging to spot the man, who was dangling precariously above the rising ocean tide in the San Francisco Bay Area, the sheriff’s office said on Facebook.
—Noah Osborne, NBC News, 2 Apr. 2024
Their communication with the ground was via their wives’ handwritten notes conveyed to them in a mail pouch dangled on a line from the refueling plane.
—Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2024
Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, said that some cargo appeared to be dangling from the bridge, which spans the Patapsco River at the entrance to a busy harbor.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2024
Klimt’s mysticism is a kind of busy stagecraft, all confetti cannons and angels dangling from ropes.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
Absent are the fairy lights and shining lanterns that would usually dangle above hurried worshippers.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 10 Mar. 2024
This scene returns later in the film, bolstered by more narrative context, but dangling it before the viewer this way conjures images of undocumented migrants taking desperately to the water in search of refuge.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024
Lisa and Miriam come to Greg’s defense, arguing that the statute in question contains a dangling modifier.
—Mary Norris, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 12 Mar. 2024
The weakened twigs can be broken by the wind and fall to the ground or dangle from the tree.
—USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024
Feathers dangle from the ceiling, and traditional medicines and herbs in small leather pouches are close by.
—David Kelly, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2024
In the center of the dining area, a clown sculpture dangles from a cluster of colorful faux balloons attached to the ceiling.
—Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 2024
Williams was free of jewelry except for one pair of dangle diamond earrings.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2024
Use these to dangle crystal beads or hang candles like the Raindrop hanging candle holders ($5, shopwildthings.com/hacaho).
—Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024
Despite a massive daily cleanup operation that leaves the post-parade landscape remarkably clean, uncaught beads dangle from tree limbs like Spanish moss and get ground into the mud under the feet of passers-by.
—Kevin McGill, Quartz, 11 Feb. 2024
Gomez posted two Instagram Stories of herself in a gold asymmetrical dress and dangle earrings alongside her friend.
—Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 21 July 2023
Verb
Then Cobb points out a long, frilly yellow ribbon of something, dangling off a rock: nudibranch eggs.
—Helen Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
The Southern Marin Fire District requested a helicopter at about 7:40 p.m. Sunday; the helicopter used thermal imaging to spot the man, who was dangling precariously above the rising ocean tide in the San Francisco Bay Area, the sheriff’s office said on Facebook.
—Noah Osborne, NBC News, 2 Apr. 2024
Their communication with the ground was via their wives’ handwritten notes conveyed to them in a mail pouch dangled on a line from the refueling plane.
—Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2024
Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, said that some cargo appeared to be dangling from the bridge, which spans the Patapsco River at the entrance to a busy harbor.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2024
Klimt’s mysticism is a kind of busy stagecraft, all confetti cannons and angels dangling from ropes.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
Absent are the fairy lights and shining lanterns that would usually dangle above hurried worshippers.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 10 Mar. 2024
This scene returns later in the film, bolstered by more narrative context, but dangling it before the viewer this way conjures images of undocumented migrants taking desperately to the water in search of refuge.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024
Lisa and Miriam come to Greg’s defense, arguing that the statute in question contains a dangling modifier.
—Mary Norris, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
Noun
But a small strap dangles from the inside lid of the compartment.
—Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 12 Mar. 2024
The weakened twigs can be broken by the wind and fall to the ground or dangle from the tree.
—USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024
Feathers dangle from the ceiling, and traditional medicines and herbs in small leather pouches are close by.
—David Kelly, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2024
In the center of the dining area, a clown sculpture dangles from a cluster of colorful faux balloons attached to the ceiling.
—Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 2024
Williams was free of jewelry except for one pair of dangle diamond earrings.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2024
Use these to dangle crystal beads or hang candles like the Raindrop hanging candle holders ($5, shopwildthings.com/hacaho).
—Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024
Despite a massive daily cleanup operation that leaves the post-parade landscape remarkably clean, uncaught beads dangle from tree limbs like Spanish moss and get ground into the mud under the feet of passers-by.
—Kevin McGill, Quartz, 11 Feb. 2024
Gomez posted two Instagram Stories of herself in a gold asymmetrical dress and dangle earrings alongside her friend.
—Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 21 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dangle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Dangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dangle. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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