Word
belonging
Phoneticsbe·long·ing, stress on the second syllable
US/bɪˈɫɔŋɪŋ/
UK/bɪlˈɒŋɪŋ/
Definitions
01feeling of acceptance
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the comfortable feeling that you are part of a group and that people accept you.
n. a sense of social or emotional affinity with a particular group, place, or community. Uncountable in this sense.
“After a few months in the new city, she finally felt a sense of belonging.”
“The school's mentorship programme is designed to foster a sense of belonging among international students who might otherwise feel isolated.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02personal items
B1 · Intermediate Plural noun
n. the things that you own and can carry with you, like clothes or bags.
n. personal items or possessions that one owns. Almost exclusively used in the plural form.
“Please make sure you take all your belongings with you when you leave the train.”
“The refugees were forced to flee their homes with only the few personal belongings they could carry in their arms.”
Pitfall
I packed all my belonging into the suitcase.
I packed all my belongings into the suitcase.
When referring to your things, this word must be plural: 'belongings'.
Synonyms
03fitting in or being owned
B1 · Intermediate
v. the -ing form of the verb 'belong', used to describe where someone or something should be.
v. the present participle or gerund of 'belong', indicating a state of being correctly placed, classified, or owned.
“He found a stray cat belonging to the family next door.”
“The curator spent years researching the provenance of the painting, eventually proving it was a work belonging to the Dutch Golden Age.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Habitats belonging to snakes and rare moths have been destroyed after the wildfires this summer.” “Air India, a loss-making airline belonging to the Tata Group, can ill-afford to see its brand tarnished.” “Sol becomes another lost soul searching for belonging, his own fractured identity mirroring Jaycee’s.” Etymology
From belong + -ing.
From Middle English belonginge, belanging, belangand, equivalent to belong + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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