1 B1 neutral
To hold firmly to something; to not let go. (Non-standard; prefer 'hang onto'.)
"Hang to that rope until I can pull you up."
hang to
B1 neutral transitive
To hold tightly to something or to retain something. A less common variant of 'hang onto'.
In plain English
To hold on to something and not let go.
What does "hang to" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To hang (hold) to (attached to) something.
Actually means
To hold on to something and not let go.
Usage tip
Very uncommon in modern standard English. Most native speakers would say 'hang onto' instead. May appear in older texts or dialectal speech. Learners should use 'hang onto' or 'hold onto' in all contexts.
Words that pair with "hang to"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
rope rail hope belief seat
How to conjugate "hang to"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
hang to
I/you/we/they
3rd person
hangs to
he/she/it
Past simple
hung to
yesterday
Past participle
hung to
have + pp
-ing form
hanging to
continuous
Hear "hang to" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "hang to" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "hang to"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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