1. something that hangs loosely or swings freely
2. a word or phrase that is not clearly connected to the word it is meant to modify, creating confusion in a sentence
Usage: grammar; also called a dangling modifier
3. a person or thing that dangles
Usage: informal

Examples

• The earring was a small dangler that caught the light as she moved.
• The sentence 'Walking down the street, the rain began to fall' contains a dangler because 'walking down the street' doesn't clearly modify the subject.
• He wore a dangler from his keychain.
• The fishing lure had a colorful dangler attached to attract fish.
• In the phrase 'Having finished dinner, the movie started,' 'having finished dinner' is a dangler.
• The charm bracelet was decorated with several silver danglers.