belonging

1 of 2

noun

be·​long·​ing bi-ˈlȯŋ-iŋ How to pronounce belonging (audio)
bē-
Synonyms of belonging
1
: possession
—usually plural
2
: close or intimate relationship
a sense of belonging
belongingness noun

belonging

2 of 2

present participle of belong

Synonyms of belonging

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of belonging in a Sentence

Noun the warm welcome they received from the community gave them a sense of belonging packed up all their belongings and moved across the country
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Students, parents, grandparents, teachers, and neighbors talked about education, belonging, technology, nature, and peace. — Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026 Inside were her cell phone, purse, medication, and a note instructing her mother what to do with the vehicle and all her belongings. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 On May 13, 2007, Leon Heron, 34, was going home to his wife with dinner from Taco Bell when two people confronted him and demanded his belongings. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 Colorado moved quickly to secure this assistance, and now families and businesses can apply for low-interest loans to repair homes, replace belongings, and reopen doors. — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for belonging

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1781, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of belonging was in 1781

Rhymes for belonging

See All Rhymes for belonging

Browse Nearby Words

belong
belonging
belongingness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Belonging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belonging. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All