hang-up
1 of 2noun
ˈhaŋ-ˌəp 
: a source of mental or emotional difficulty
broadly : problem
hang up
2 of 2verb
hung up; hanging up; hangs up
transitive verb
1
a
: to place on a hook or hanger designed for the purpose
hang up your coat
b
: to replace (a telephone receiver) on the cradle so that the connection is broken
2
: to keep delayed, suspended, or held up
3
: to cause to stick or snag immovably
the ship was hung up on a sandbar
intransitive verb
1
: to break a telephone connection
2
: to become stuck or snagged so as to be immovable
Synonyms
Noun
- affliction
- demon
- daemon
- terror
- torment
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 9 Jan. 2022 America's favorite fictional surgeon is getting ready to hang up her scrubs. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 20 Dec. 2021 Is Tom Holland almost ready to hang up his web-shooters? Brendan Morrow, The Week, 17 Nov. 2021 If you are told to press a button to be removed from the call list, hang up. Zachary Smith, cleveland, 23 July 2022 The only criteria: Deals have to adhere to actual salary cap rules, and must be quasi-realistic enough that a general manager or president of basketball ops might not laugh and hang up immediately. Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 June 2022 Remove clutter near the door and make room for guests to kick off shoes and hang up coats. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2021 Datro, who grew up on the south side of Chicago, said he’s excited to hang up his badge but continue influencing police as a civilian employee. oregonlive, 14 July 2022 At 32, Fama is about to hang up her softball cleats. Michael Casagrande | Mcasagrande@al.com, al, 11 July 2022 See More
Verb
Half the band was dead, and Nez was pushing 80 and clearly ready to hang up the green wool hat forever. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 9 Jan. 2022 America's favorite fictional surgeon is getting ready to hang up her scrubs. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 20 Dec. 2021 Is Tom Holland almost ready to hang up his web-shooters? Brendan Morrow, The Week, 17 Nov. 2021 If you are told to press a button to be removed from the call list, hang up. Zachary Smith, cleveland, 23 July 2022 The only criteria: Deals have to adhere to actual salary cap rules, and must be quasi-realistic enough that a general manager or president of basketball ops might not laugh and hang up immediately. Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 June 2022 Remove clutter near the door and make room for guests to kick off shoes and hang up coats. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2021 Datro, who grew up on the south side of Chicago, said he’s excited to hang up his badge but continue influencing police as a civilian employee. oregonlive, 14 July 2022 At 32, Fama is about to hang up her softball cleats. Michael Casagrande | Mcasagrande@al.com, al, 11 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1952, in the meaning defined above
Verb
12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
hang-up
noun
as in demon
a source of persistent emotional distress low self-esteem is only one of his many hang-ups Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- demon
- torment
- affliction
- terror
- bugbear
- bête noire
- bugaboo
- daemon
- bogey
- bogy
- ogre
- hobgoblin
- bogie