MEANING
1. To depend on a particular condition or point, or to turn and swing on a hinge.
2. To turn or swing on a fixed joint that allows a door, lid, or gate to move.
Use it for
Use when one fact, decision, or clue controls what follows.Build suspense around one detail on which a choice or outcome depends.
Words that belong together
- hinge on evidence
- hinge on a decision
- hinge on a single point
- hinge open
- hinge inward
- hinge at the side
On the page
The entire case hinged on a signature no one could find.
The cellar door hinged inward without a sound.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- hinge
- Past tense
- hinged
- Past participle
- hinged
- Present participle
- hinging
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- hinge
- Present continuous
- am/is/are hinging
- Present perfect
- have/has hinged
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been hinging
- Past
- hinged
- Past continuous
- was/were hinging
- Past perfect
- had hinged
- Past perfect continuous
- had been hinging
- Future
- will hinge
- Future continuous
- will be hinging
- Future perfect
- will have hinged
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been hinging
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
The figurative use is commonly “hinge on/upon”; this transparent verb-plus-preposition pattern is not a phrasal verb. Sense 2: The literal sense commonly describes how a door or panel is mounted.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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