calling

American  

[kaw-ling] / ˈkɔ lɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that calls.

2. vocation, profession, or trade.

   What is your calling?

   Synonyms:

   field, specialty, forte, province, mission

3. a call or summons.

   He had a calling to join the church.

4. a strong impulse or inclination.

   She did it in response to an inner calling.

5. a convocation.

   the calling of Congress.

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calling British  

/ ˈkɔːlɪŋ /

noun

1. a strong inner urge to follow an occupation, etc; vocation

2. an occupation, profession, or trade

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Etymology

Origin of calling

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; call, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Bendix explained why the Marlins believe calling pitches from the dugout will benefit them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Delia is now calling for separate waiting areas to be created in the hospital, with one specifically for cancer patients.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

With so much time on your hands and no job calling, it isn’t easy to resist your smartphone, writes retired WSJ editor Stephen Kreider Yoder.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Expectations of any major breakthroughs were low, with Hezbollah's leader Naim Qassem calling for the talks to be scrapped before they even began, describing them as "futile".

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Tansy’d be standing smug in the front door, calling us cattle to the trough of knowledge.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck