hangdog

adjective

ˈhaŋ-ˌdȯg How to pronounce hangdog (audio)
Definition of hangdognext
as in sad
feeling unhappiness "Why do you look so hangdog today?" she asked

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hangdog His Mickey is pleasantly mumbly, with a hangdog mien that’s often crosscut with a don’t-underestimate-me swagger. — Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2022 Vic accepts his highly public and private humiliation with hangdog equanimity. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 Mar. 2022 Segel earns some empathy as a hangdog Everyman, though his backstory remains such a deliberate blank that any insight is mostly gleaned from his blundering missteps and low-simmering misery. — Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 18 Mar. 2022 Another slip here is the casting of Effros in the lead role of Martin, a hangdog techie who travels from New York to Cape Cod to settle the estate of his late, estranged dad, Kenneth. — Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2022 See All Example Sentences for hangdog
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hangdog
  1. sad
  2. depressed
  3. unhappy
  4. heartbroken
  5. miserable
  6. melancholy
  7. bad
  8. sorry
Adjective
  • This formula carried his last offering, the funny and sad, Colin Farrell-led The Banshees of Inisherin to nine Oscar nominations in 2022.
    — Radhika Seth, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Hunter said it’s been sad to see photos of the devastation wrought by the fire.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • Lindsay Clancy was depressed, prosecutor says During more than four weeks of testimony, jurors heard differing views from medical experts about Clancy’s mental state after Callan’s birth.
    — Michael Casey, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Many established theatrical distributors are also wary of the current depressed market for documentaries.
    — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of depressed
Adjective
  • Before long, the book moves back in time to shadow the king himself, an unhappy leader thrust into his role by chance and now on the brink of death.
    — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Age came with evidence — every mistake, playoff loss and unhappy ending.
    — Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of unhappy
Adjective
  • Fans across Kansas City posted heartbroken notes of appreciation for the country legend.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Speaking during a recent career retrospective hosted by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, the 71-year-old actor revealed that his Thelma & Louise co-star left him heartbroken.
    — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of heartbroken
Adjective
  • The loss of cultural titans Dolly Parton, Tim Curry, Peter Cullen, and Yayoi Kusama sent the week in a miserable direction.
    — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Making someone miserable with a forty-one-page application does not.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of miserable
Adjective
  • The strength of the novel — and the source of its melancholy tone — is in its scope.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Forte, and everyone else in the room, loved it, and as the lights went up, doubt and melancholy turned into frustration and confusion.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of melancholy
Adjective
  • The accident was one of the Portuguese capital’s worst tragedies in recent memory and cast a shadow over the city’s ongoing tourism boom.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The must-read Falling during a hike can lead to a serious injury, or even worse.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • For those who haven’t seen the only good movie based on a board game (sorry, Battleship), Clue has multiple endings in order to simulate the repeatability of the game.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
  • López, who has undergone Tommy John surgery twice, wanted to find a way to keep busy instead of feeling sorry for himself.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of sorry

Browse Nearby Words

hang back
hangdog
hanger-on
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hangdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hangdog. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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