ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hanged

v. · adj.
US //ˈhæŋd// UK //hˈæŋd// hanged
  1. 1 execution (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    to be killed by a rope around the neck as a legal punishment.

    to be executed by suspension from the neck. This specific form is used exclusively for the death penalty or suicide, whereas 'hung' is used for objects.

    Example

    In the past, people were hanged for crimes that we now consider minor.

    Example

    The judge decreed that the conspirators be hanged by the neck until dead, a sentence that was carried out the following Monday morning.

    Usage

    Always used in the passive voice when referring to a legal execution.
    Pitfall
    The prisoner was hung at dawn.
    The prisoner was hanged at dawn.

    Use 'hanged' for people being executed; use 'hung' for objects like pictures or clothes.

  2. 2 damned (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Humorous British English

    used to show you are very annoyed or to say 'no' very strongly.

    used as a mild, somewhat old-fashioned intensifier to express annoyance or a vehement refusal.

    Example

    I'll be hanged if I'm going to pay that much for a cup of coffee.

    Example

    He declared he would be hanged before he ever set foot in that wretched establishment again.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a fixed idiomatic expression, usually 'I'll be hanged if...'. It is not literal and is used for dramatic effect.
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Last updated June 20, 2026