hangdog means low; sneaking; ashamed. It carries an Arena rating of 1308, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, hangdog ranks #1,330 of 14,322 for Scariest Words, #2,309 of 14,431 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #2,328 of 14,438 for Most Storied Words, #2,350 of 14,448 for Most Incisive Words.
Why “hangdog” is a great word
Having a dejected, guilty, or ashamed appearance or manner. From the phrase 'hang dog', originally a noun for a degraded person fit only to be hanged like a dog; first attested in the 1670s. Unlike "rueful," which expresses regret with wry acceptance, or "shameless," its brazen opposite, hangdog carries the specific, leaden weight of perceived degradation. It is the slumped shoulders of a child caught in a lie, the averted eyes of a scolded hound, the shoulders rounded against an invisible blow—a portrait of the self made abject, where mercy and punishment wear the same face.
Etymology
From hang + dog.
adj
- Low; sneaking; ashamed.“The poor colonel went out of the room with a hangdog look.”
noun
- A base, degraded person.
verb
- To move or loiter in a sneaking or ashamed manner.“With a twenty-one to three victory, Pinewood high-stepped it off the field while our Falcons hangdogged their way to the locker room.”
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- haggard 82% match — Looking exhausted, worried, or poor in condition vs hangdog →
- rueful 82% match — Causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow, especially in a wry or humorous way. vs hangdog →
- shamefacedness 82% match — The characteristic of being shamefaced. vs hangdog →
- downcast 82% match — Of the eyes, a facial expression, etc.: looking downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or sometimes modesty. vs hangdog →
- opprobrium 82% match — A cause, object, or situation of disgrace or shame. vs hangdog →
- abject 81% match — Existing in or sunk to a low condition, position, or state; contemptible, despicable, miserable. vs hangdog →
- heanling 81% match — A base, abject, or humble person; a wretch. vs hangdog →
- caitiff 81% match — A base or despicable person; a wretch. vs hangdog →