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

Aging can be a sensitive issue; the rest of us don’t have to do it under a microscope.

From Slate • Jul. 2, 2026

Another reason, perhaps, is a change in attitude about age, and what can be accomplished, said Gordon Lithgow, a professor with the Buck Institute for Research on Aging.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026

“These are folks who have exhausted all other avenues to employment, and we create a path forward,” said Maura Porcelli, senior director of workforce at the National Council on Aging.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

Aging affects all of us, and both authors attest to the fact that it’s become a billion-dollar industry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

“Well, that should be fooled by an Aging Potion, shouldn’t it? And once your name’s in that goblet, you’re laughing — it can’t tell whether you’re seventeen or not!”

From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling