calling

American  

[kaw-ling] / ˈkɔ lɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that calls.

2. vocation, profession, or trade.

   What is your calling?

   Synonyms:

   field, specialty, forte, province, mission

3. a call or summons.

   He had a calling to join the church.

4. a strong impulse or inclination.

   She did it in response to an inner calling.

5. a convocation.

   the calling of Congress.

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calling British  

/ ˈkɔːlɪŋ /

noun

1. a strong inner urge to follow an occupation, etc; vocation

2. an occupation, profession, or trade

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Etymology

Origin of calling

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; see origin at call, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Trump said he came away impressed, calling her “wonderful and highly intelligent,” and he paused the tariffs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Along with calling for OpenAI to be forced to revert to a pure nonprofit, Musk's suit urges the ouster of co-founders Altman and Brockman, who is the startup's president.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

Interestingly, however, the latest listing makes no mention of the Hadid family, instead calling attention to the property’s rich history.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

Many are calling for tighter oversight in childcare facilities.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

On Tuesday, Jonah thought of calling other DuPres to ask them if they knew Angela, and, if so, if she was all right.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix