verb
dangle
DANG-guhl
Dangle (verb) means to hang loosely, swinging freely. Example: “Her earrings dangled as she shook her head.”
verb
1
To hang loosely, swinging freely.
"Her earrings dangled as she shook her head."
"His legs dangled off the edge of the dock."
2
To offer something as an enticing possibility.
"The company dangled a big bonus to keep her from quitting."
How to use dangle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo hang loosely and swing, or to tempt someone with something.
Common pairings
dangle from
dangle a carrot
legs dangling
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Word forms
- Plural
- dangles
- Third person singular
- dangles
- Past tense
- dangled
Fill the gap
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Her earrings _____ as she shook her head.
Etymology
Likely of North Germanic origin, related to Danish dingle and Swedish dangla, both meaning "to swing about."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for dangle
See all rhymes for dangle →Frequently asked questions
What does “dangle” mean?
The word “dangle” means to hang loosely, swinging freely. In plain terms, to hang loosely and swing, or to tempt someone with something.
How do you pronounce “dangle”?
“Dangle” is pronounced DANG-guhl (/ˈdæŋ.ɡəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “dangle” in a sentence?
Here is “dangle” used in a sentence: “Her earrings dangled as she shook her head.”
What part of speech is “dangle”?
“Dangle” is a verb.
Where does the word “dangle” come from?
The word “dangle” comes from Germanic. Likely of North Germanic origin, related to Danish dingle and Swedish dangla, both meaning "to swing about.".
How many meanings does “dangle” have?
“Dangle” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to hang loosely, swinging freely.
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