Showing results for "aging"

• present participle of age.

aging

American  

[ey-jing] / ˈeɪ dʒɪŋ /

Or ageing

noun

1. the process of becoming old or older.

   The aging of the population has had an effect on state revenues.

2. the process of bringing a product, material, etc., to maturity or a state fit for use.

   the proper aging of cheese in controlled conditions of temperature and humidity.

3. the process of making something seem older than it is.

   The leather tabletop is a recent replacement with deliberate aging and antiquing.

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adjective

1. becoming old or older; showing signs of growing old.

   Many of us are caring for an aging parent in declining health.

2. giving the appearance of being old or older.

   They used aging makeup on some of the actors instead of recasting the roles.

Etymology

Origin of aging

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; age ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun; age ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective

Explanation

Aging means growing older. You could say that your glamorous grandparents make aging look easy. The process of getting older, especially as people reach middle age and beyond, is called aging, and it's also an adjective that describes someone or something going through this process. Your aging French teacher might find it harder and harder to read her own writing on the chalkboard, and an aging motorcycle probably needs to be repaired more often. The verb age, or "grow older," is at the heart of aging, and its Latin root is aevum, "lifetime."

Example Sentences

"We have an aging population. How we can stop or slow neurons from dying is an enormous problem," says Strittmatter.

From Science Daily • Jul. 12, 2026

Others say the NHS should be retained because tax‑funded systems are best placed to deal with the challenge of aging populations.

From BBC • Jul. 12, 2026

Qatar's royal family donated the luxury airliner last year after Trump complained about the state of the two aging Boeing 747 jets that had served as Air Force One since 1990.

From Barron's • Jul. 10, 2026

Blooms represents a new kind of product for Hasbro, whose aging up strategy so far has skewed toward male customers with offerings like premium Star Wars collectibles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

A year after I started the column, I was in a small, overstaffed restaurant across the table from an aging, elegant woman in a silk turban who oversaw the International Best Dressed List.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls