hung up on
A person who is hung up on something is concerned about it or thinking about it too much.
It’s usually not good to be hung up on a thing or a person, but it may not be completely bad because one’s attention is focused on solving a problem.
(be) hung up on = (be) worried about
It looks like a verb phrase, but it’s actually an adjective phrase. The word “hung” is a past participle:
hang / hung / hung / hanging.
- He’s really hung up on it. = (He’s really worried. / He’s really worried about it.)
- What are you so hung up about? (What are you so worried about? The preposition “about” is often used in place of “on.”)
- He’s hung up on his girlfriend. (He thinks about his girlfriend too much.)
- They’re all hung up on the weather. (They are unhappy about the current weather situation.)
- Sarah is way too hung up on her hair. (She is concerned about the way her hair looks.)
- For the last week, Kevin has been hung up on what happened at the party. (What happened? Whatever it was must have been bad.)
hung up on = hung up about
- She’s really hung up on this young man that she likes.
- Try not to get too hung up on someone that you like. The feelings may not be mutual.
Negatives are often used with “hung up on.” Notice also that the verb “get” is often a substitute for the verb “be.”
- Don’t get too hung up on this. (Don’t be too hung up on this.)
- You shouldn’t get up hung up on this. (The choice of “get” over “be” in this case sounds better.)
- Try not to get hung up on the test that you failed.
- I’m not getting hung up on this!
- Don’t get so hung up on what other people think about you.
- If you get too hung up about this, you’ll never get anything done.
- I can’t get hung up on this right now.
- He’s trying not to get too hung about the loss of his home.
- It’s better not to get hung on things that you can’t control.
- It’s natural to think long and hard about a problem or a bad situation.