# hang out to dry

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/hang-out-to-dry
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To abandon someone who is in need or in danger, especially a colleague or one dependent.

## Examples

- He left me to hang out to dry when the boss got angry.
- When the project failed, my partner blamed me and left me to hang out to dry.
- Despite their long history of collaboration, the politician left his loyal aide to hang out to dry as the scandal unfolded.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.