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
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
Travis Clinger, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Trump has repeatedly threatened tariffs as a kind of anvil dangling over the heads of countries, companies or industries.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 7 July 2025
Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2025
The students on last week’s trip congregated at the resort’s main hotel, The Royal, where guests check in under a tall, domed oculus, and swirling $1 million glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly dangle from the casino ceiling.
—Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dangle
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Verb
Taking too long to enter a market moving at this speed would mean starting conversations using outdated hypotheses and constantly dangling the wrong incentives for partners, which doesn’t bode well for success.
—Travis Clinger, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Trump has repeatedly threatened tariffs as a kind of anvil dangling over the heads of countries, companies or industries.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 7 July 2025
Noun
Eyewitnesses saw the two women dangle from a fourth-floor balcony, then plummet to their deaths before firefighters could get a 35-foot ground ladder to them.
—Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2025
The students on last week’s trip congregated at the resort’s main hotel, The Royal, where guests check in under a tall, domed oculus, and swirling $1 million glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly dangle from the casino ceiling.
—Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dangle
Cite this Entry
“Dangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dangle. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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