before hanging up

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "before hanging up" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to actions or statements made prior to ending a phone call. Example: "I wanted to ask you one last question before hanging up."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Now let me get back to work!" before hanging up the phone.

The New York Times

Graeme McDowell says his motivation is to add more majors to his career tally before hanging up his clubs.

BBC

Before hanging up, we exchanged names.

The New York Times - Magazine

Before hanging up, the father asked who Old 99 was.

The New Yorker

"Sorry for what?" she said, before hanging up on me.

The New York Times

You're a poet, not a supplicant".

The New Yorker

He spoke in a telephone interview on Saturday, and before hanging up, added an optimistic note.

The New York Times - Arts

But before hanging up, he sped through a "disclosure" and garbled details on pricing.

The New York Times

Just before hanging up, he could be heard saying: "Hello, Doctor, this is my nephew.

The New York Times

Then, before hanging up, he said, "Have a good fucking day".

The New Yorker

Before hanging up, the dispatcher said an officer was on his way.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "before hanging up" to clearly indicate that an action or statement occurred immediately preceding the end of a phone call. This adds context and clarifies the sequence of events for the listener or reader.

Common error

Avoid using "before hanging up" when the action described happened significantly earlier in the conversation. Ensure the action directly precedes the termination of the call for accurate and logical sequencing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before hanging up" functions as an adverbial phrase, specifically a prepositional phrase modifying a verb by indicating when an action occurred. Ludwig examples show it clarifying the timing of events relative to the end of a phone call.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "before hanging up" is a common and grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to indicate that something occurred immediately before the end of a phone call. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and prevalence, particularly in news and media contexts. While generally neutral in register, more formal alternatives may suit professional or academic writing. Its primary function is to provide temporal context, clarifying the sequence of events relative to the termination of a conversation. Remember to use the phrase accurately to maintain clear and logical sequencing in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prior to ending the call

Formal alternative, emphasizing the act of concluding the phone conversation.

just before disconnecting

Focuses on the action of terminating the connection.

right before the call ended

Adds a sense of immediacy to the timing.

before terminating the conversation

A more formal and elaborate way to describe ending a call.

on the verge of disconnecting

Highlights the imminence of the call ending.

as the conversation concluded

Emphasizes the completion of the dialogue.

before saying goodbye

Focuses on the farewell aspect before ending the call.

before we lost connection

Suggests a potential for involuntary disconnection.

before the line went dead

Implies an abrupt or unexpected end to the call.

before cutting the call

Focuses on the active termination of the phone call.

FAQs

What does "before hanging up" mean?

The phrase "before hanging up" means immediately prior to ending a phone call. It's used to indicate that something was said or done right before the conversation concluded.

What can I say instead of "before hanging up"?

You can use alternatives like "prior to ending the call", "just before disconnecting", or "right before the call ended" depending on the context.

Is it acceptable to use "before hanging up" in formal writing?

While "before hanging up" is widely understood, more formal alternatives such as "prior to ending the call" or "before terminating the conversation" may be preferred in highly formal contexts.

How can I use "before hanging up" in a sentence?

You can use "before hanging up" like this: "He quickly confirmed the appointment "before disconnecting"." or "She asked one last question "before terminating the call"."