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

But if multiple visits reveal unrelated faults within an aging cistern, additional charges become easier to justify.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026

The steadily rising average player age reflects both the aging of a generation that grew up with consoles and a wave of older adults who have since picked up the hobby.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

They point to climate change, aging water infrastructure, and weak monitoring systems as factors that could allow dangerous amoebae to spread and become harder to control.

From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026

Her reporting focuses on aging, longevity and preventive care.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

How could fifth-graders understand how hard it had been for him and his wife to take care of their aging parents over the past eight years—first hers and now his?

From "The Landry News" by Andrew Clements