belonged; belonging; belongs
1
a
: to be suitable, appropriate, or advantageous
a dictionary belongs in every home
b
: to be in a proper situation
a man of his ability belongs in teaching
2
a
: to be the property of a person or thing
—used with to
the book belongs to me
b
: to be attached or bound by birth, allegiance, or dependency
—usually used with to
they belong to their homeland
c
: to be a member of a club, organization, or set
—usually used with to
she belongs to a country club
3
: to be an attribute, part, adjunct, or function of a person or thing
nuts and bolts belong to a car
4
: to be properly classified
Examples of belong in a Sentence
She was here for 15 years, but she never really belonged.
your shoes belong in the closet, not in the middle of the living room where people will trip on them
Recent Examples on the Web
Today Thanksgiving still moves us deeply, casting a traditionalist spell of nostalgia, belonging, and obligation.
—
Michael Morris, TIME, 27 Nov. 2024
From Indigenous Pacific-Islander fighters like Holloway and Tuivasa to Indigenous fighters from the Americas like Payton Talbott and Alex Pereira, Indigenous role models in combat sports can foster a sense of pride and belonging for Indigenous youth with big dreams.
—Victor A. Lopez-Carmen, Md, Mph, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
As a member of the Axis of Resistance—to which Hamas also belongs—Hezbollah couldn't have sat the conflict out.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
Walmart, for instance, has already moved away from the idea of DEI in favor of belonging.
—Evan Clark, WWD, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for belong 
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.
Dictionary Entries Near belong
Cite this Entry
“Belong.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belong. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
belong
verb
be·long
bi-ˈlȯŋ 
1
: to be in a proper place
this book belongs on the top shelf
2
a
: to be the property of a person or group of persons
the watch belongs to me
b
: to be a member
belongs to our club
3
: to be a part of : be connected with : go with
the parts belonging to the clock
4
: to be classified
whales belong among the mammals
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share