hanging fire

phrase

present participle of hang fire
as in delaying
to move or act slowly He asked his team to hang fire until he was ready.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanging fire
  1. marking time
  2. falling behind
Phrase
  • All the same, Adelaide believed in the importance of marking time.
    — Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The moon represents creation and destruction, rebirth, eternity, the feminine, time, marking time, mystery, the night, and secrets.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of marking time
Phrase
  • Shifts in culture affected the appetite for all of this, and Victoria’s Secret went from being on top of the world to falling behind conversations about inclusivity and body positivity.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Castillo’s game-winning 28-yard touchdown run capped off a Brackenridge comeback in which the Eagles scored 21 unanswered points after falling behind 14-0 in the third quarter.
    — David DeKunder, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of falling behind
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.

Browse Nearby Words

hanging back
hanging fire
hanging in
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hanging fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanging%20fire. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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