To dangle means to hang loosely and swing gently, often from a single point of attachment. Picture a rope swing hanging from a tree branch, moving slightly in the breeze, or your legs dangling over the edge of a dock while you sit and watch the water below.

Things that dangle aren't firmly attached: they hang freely and can sway back and forth. A cat toy dangles from a string. Earrings dangle from pierced ears. When you climb up on the monkey bars, your legs might dangle in the air before you swing to the next bar. Mountain climbers sometimes find themselves dangling from ropes over steep cliffs, which sounds terrifying but is actually part of how they safely descend.

The word also describes something offered as a temptation or reward. A parent might dangle the possibility of dessert to encourage you to finish your vegetables. Your teacher might dangle extra recess time as motivation for the class to focus during a lesson. In these cases, the reward hangs out there like something just within reach, something you want to grab onto but have to work for first.