surfing

American

[sur-fing] / ˈsɜr fɪŋ /

noun

the act or sport of riding the surf, as on a surfboard.

surfing British

/ ˈsɜːfɪŋ /

noun

the sport of riding towards shore on the crest of a wave by standing or lying on a surfboard

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

surfer

noun

Etymology

Origin of surfing

First recorded in 1915–20; surf + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

His Coronado Surfing Academy puts as many as 28 students in the water at a time.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

Surfing great Stephanie Gilmore said Wednesday she was coming out of retirement in a bid to win a record ninth world title.

From Barron's • Nov. 19, 2025

"Surfing culture can be a bit toxic," he said.

From BBC • Sep. 21, 2025

Surfing, sport climbing and skateboarding — which were Olympic sports for the first time at the Tokyo Games in 2021 — are back for the Paris Games.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 7, 2024

Surfing competition draws participants and spectators from around the world and larger contests are transmitted to international audiences by television.

From Oahu Traveler's guide by Gleasner, Bill

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023