Hanged vs. Hung

Use hung for the ordinary past forms of hang, as in She hung the picture or She has hung the picture. When hang means to execute by hanging, hanged is the traditional choice in edited writing. The meaning determines the form in both the simple past and the past participle. The American Heritage Dictionary usage note.

Hung in the simple past and after have, has, or had

Hung can describe putting something up or being suspended. The simple past reports a past action or state. The form that follows have, has, or had is called a past participle. For the ordinary meanings of hang, both forms are hung.

• Simple past. We hung paper lanterns over the tables yesterday.
• After has. The quilt has hung in the library for years.
• After had. The volunteers had hung the signs by the time the doors opened.

Hung up can mean put something on a hook or end a call

Hang up becomes hung up in the past. The words around it tell you which meaning applies. Merriam-Webster’s entry for hang up.

• Omar hung up his coat. He put his coat on a hook or hanger.
• Omar hung up after confirming the address. He ended the phone call.

Hanged is the traditional form for an execution

A historical account might say The record states that the prisoner was hanged. The past participle is the same after was or had been. Merriam-Webster also records hung in this sense. In your own edited prose, hanged follows the traditional distinction. If the type of execution is irrelevant to the passage, was executed gives the fact plainly. Merriam-Webster’s entry and usage guide for hang.

Practice choosing hanged or hung

1. Fill in the blank. Yesterday, we ___ the map beside the entrance.
2. Correct the verb. That clock has hanged above the front desk for years.
3. Rewrite the sentence to start with By opening time, the staff had. The staff hung the paintings before the doors opened.
4. What does hung up mean here? I confirmed the appointment and hung up.
5. Choose the traditional form for an edited historical account that describes an execution. The record says that the prisoner was ___.
6. Write a sentence about putting a raincoat on a hook yesterday. Use hang up in the past tense and place the coat between the verb and up.

Show answers and explanations

1. Hung. The sentence uses the simple past to tell when the map went up.
2. That clock has hung above the front desk for years. Has takes a past participle. Hung is the form for a clock suspended in place.
3. By opening time, the staff had hung the paintings. The action was already complete at opening time. Hung stays the same after had.
4. Ended the call. Hung up describes what the speaker did after confirming the appointment by phone.
5. Hanged. It is the traditional past participle after was when hang refers to an execution.
6. I hung my raincoat up when I got home yesterday. Hung is the past tense. The object my raincoat can sit between hung and up.

Related grammar guides

• Compare another pair whose past forms are easy to mix up. Lay vs. Lie.
• Find more explanations of similar words. Confusing Words.