Meaning & use
belongings
Last updated
UK/bɪˈlɒŋɪŋz/
US/bɪˈlɔːŋɪŋz/
Meaning
nounplural
The things that a person owns and can carry or move, such as clothes and personal items.
Grammar: Always plural: his belongings were packed, not a belonging.
Patterns
- pack your belongings
- someone's belongings
Please keep your belongings with you at all times on the train.
She packed her belongings into two suitcases.
The flood destroyed most of their belongings.
Common combinations
- personal belongings
- Passengers should take all personal belongings when leaving.
- pack your belongings
- He had an hour to pack his belongings.
- leave belongings behind
- Please don't leave belongings behind on the bus.
- collect your belongings
- You can collect your belongings from the front desk.
- lost belongings
- The office returns lost belongings to their owners.
Synonyms and how they differ
- possessions
- Possessions can include large things like houses and land, whereas belongings usually means smaller personal items.
- stuff
- Stuff is informal and vague, while belongings sounds more neutral and is used in announcements.
- effects
- Effects, as in personal effects, is a formal and legal word often used for items found on a person.
- possession
- Possession is the singular form, which belongings does not have.
Word family
- belong verb
- to be owned by someone or to fit in a group
- belonging noun
- the feeling of being accepted in a group
- belongings noun
- the things someone owns
- belonged verb
- past tense of belong
Commonly confused: belongings or belonging?
belongings vs belonging
The uncountable noun belonging means feeling accepted, as in a sense of belonging, which differs from the physical items in belongings.
Practice
Which sentence is correct?
Choose one answer.
Belongings is always plural and takes a plural verb. Options with a belonging or belongings is are wrong in number.
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