We regarded the document as belonging to her brother.
Source: tatoeba (44117)
Belonging
/bɪˈlɒŋɪŋ/
Synonyms for "belonging" (121 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (25)
Noun(14 words)
affiliatedaffiliatingaffiliationamount of matterbe appropriatebe fittingbe owned bybe the property ofbelong herebelong in classbelong tobelonging relationbelonging to the classbelongingness
Adjective(1 words)
Verb(4 words)
be a member ofbe member ofbe part ofbuild community bonds
Strong matches (36)
Verb(3 words)
build togethernessconnect with peersfoster togetherness
Noun(29 words)
care of animalscivic engagementclassroom belongingclassroom communityclassroom inclusioncollective belongingcollectivitycommittee membershipcommunitiescommunitycommunity cohesioncommunity togethernesscommunity-buildingconnectednessdegree of primitivenessdisplay of sympathyearthlinghoodeffectsfeelingfit in
Adjective(2 words)
effective mode of communicationhigh degree of forcefulness
Related words (60)
Noun(45 words)
history of science curriculumhomehomelinessinclusionindicators of societal collapseingroupnessintegrate topicitalian affiliazionemattering in schoolmattering tomattering to othersmattering to studentsmembershipmembership in schoolmembershipsnotion of realityonenessorigins of civilizationownedpeer belonging
Show 25 more words
personal effectspossessedpossessionspossessivepromoting school belongingpromotion of competitionpropertyproprietaryschool connectednessschool loyaltyscience club membershipsense of belongingsense of communalitysense of school belongingsense of togethernesssocial affiliationsocial belongingsocial group membershipstate of mutenessstudent matteringsubject of sentencetheory of evolutiontogethernesstogethernesseswholeness
Preposition(1 words)
in person groups
Adjective(6 words)
in-school belongingshared identitysocial feelingsocial integrationsocial matteringstrong sense of belonging
Verb(3 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: admissible, affiliated, affiliating, affiliation, amount of matter.
- Sentence evidence is available for belonging, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, opengloss.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "belonging".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "belonging"
Keep "belonging" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "belonging" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "belonging", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "belonging" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
11 entriesMore specific
14 entriesbe appropriatebe relevantbelong to a classbelong to a clubbelong to a familybooksclassroom belongingclotheselectronicsfit the contextgroup membershippersonalproprietarytools
Collocations
13 entriesbelonging itemsbelonging tobelonging to a groupbelonging to someonebelonging to the classcommunity tiesfeeling of belonginggroup membershipowned itemspersonal belongingsproperty ownershipsense of belongingsocial belonging
Inflections
2 entriesDerivations
4 entriesSample sentences
18 total sentences available.
The Japanese Dentists Association affair is an incident concerning secret donations from the Japanese Dentists Association to Diet members belonging to the LDP.
Source: tatoeba (390640)
The author of the book raises lots of questions about the belonging.
Source: tatoeba (1892617)
If he went near the farmyard belonging to the count, he was pushed and knocked about, for the men and the maids said he was so horrible ugly; but he was used to all this, for nobody loved him.
Source: tatoeba (2674792)
Showing 4 of 18 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "belonging"?
Closest matches include admissible, affiliated, affiliating, affiliation, amount of matter.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "belonging"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.