balding

American  

[bawl-ding] / ˈbɔl dɪŋ /

adjective

1. losing hair on the scalp; becoming bald.

   a middle-aged, balding man.

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noun

1. the process of becoming bald.

   There are numerous causes for balding, such as genetics and poor nutrition.

balding British  

/ ˈbɔːldɪŋ /

adjective

1. somewhat bald or becoming bald

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Etymology

Origin of balding

First recorded in 1935–40; bald ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) balding for def. 1, or -ing ¹ ( def. ) balding for def. 2

Explanation

If your dad is losing his hair, you can describe him as balding — although it may hurt his feelings if he's sensitive about his looks. Someone who's balding is well on his way to being bald. He may have a shiny bald patch on the back of his head or just extremely thin wisps of hair all over — either way, he's balding. Both balding and bald probably originated from the Celtic root word bal, which means "white patch or blaze," especially one that's found on a horse or another animal's head.

Example Sentences

For men, it’s mostly caused by the body’s hereditary response to the hormone dihydrotestosterone and can lead to balding.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026

Roughly half of the poll’s respondents, despite showing no symptoms of balding, said they were interested in remedies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

I've come to terms with my baldness now and I prefer to be bald than balding.

From BBC • Oct. 31, 2025

In the UK, there are two medicines licensed to treat male pattern balding - finasteride and minoxidil.

From BBC • Sep. 4, 2025

The mustached man smothers Sasha’s flaming skirt with his coat while the balding man stamps out the burning tatters that flame around them.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater