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
For instance, instead of abstract, vague, and controversial terms, organizations should use concrete, specific, and common-sense examples in inclusive language to create a sense of unity and belonging.
—
Paul Klein, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Anyone who would let monsters kidnap and kill our children does not belong anywhere near the Oval Office.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Remember, Scorpio governs your 11th house of community affairs and sense of belonging in the world, so this celestial season tends to highlight your connections and collaborations with friends and those in your extended network.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Airbnb: Belonging And Community Airbnb has built its workplace culture around the idea of belonging, both for its customers and employees.
—Angelica Kopec, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for belong 
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Paul Klein, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Anyone who would let monsters kidnap and kill our children does not belong anywhere near the Oval Office.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Remember, Scorpio governs your 11th house of community affairs and sense of belonging in the world, so this celestial season tends to highlight your connections and collaborations with friends and those in your extended network.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Airbnb: Belonging And Community Airbnb has built its workplace culture around the idea of belonging, both for its customers and employees.
—Angelica Kopec, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for belong
Dictionary Entries Near belong
Cite this Entry
“Belong.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belong. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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