balding

American  

[bawl-ding] / ˈbɔl dɪŋ /

adjective

1. losing hair on the scalp; becoming bald.

   a middle-aged, balding man.

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noun

1. the process of becoming bald.

   There are numerous causes for balding, such as genetics and poor nutrition.

balding British  

/ ˈbɔːldɪŋ /

adjective

1. somewhat bald or becoming bald

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Etymology

Origin of balding

First recorded in 1935–40; bald ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) balding for def. 1, or -ing ¹ ( def. ) balding for def. 2

Explanation

If your dad is losing his hair, you can describe him as balding — although it may hurt his feelings if he's sensitive about his looks. Someone who's balding is well on his way to being bald. He may have a shiny bald patch on the back of his head or just extremely thin wisps of hair all over — either way, he's balding. Both balding and bald probably originated from the Celtic root word bal, which means "white patch or blaze," especially one that's found on a horse or another animal's head.

Example Sentences

For men, it’s mostly caused by the body’s hereditary response to the hormone dihydrotestosterone and can lead to balding.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026

Roughly half of the poll’s respondents, despite showing no symptoms of balding, said they were interested in remedies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

But I couldn't shake the thought of suddenly appearing at work or family events with a full head of hair - everyone knew I was balding.

From BBC • Oct. 31, 2025

There was a freedom in skipping to the end stage of the balding process, and I've continued to shave my head ever since.

From BBC • Oct. 31, 2025

He hadn't gotten to his comb-over yet and I was thrown a little bit by his shiny, balding head.

From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English