Showing results for "calling"

• present participle of call.

calling

American  

[kaw-ling] / ˈkɔ lɪŋ /

noun

• callings
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• callings
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of calling

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

calling callings

Last month, she signed an executive directive calling for an outside review of the LAPD’s policies and training, which she referred to as “woefully inadequate.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

James Talarico, the Democratic Senate candidate from Texas, denied rumors that he had been secretly hospitalized in an Ohio psychiatric facility, calling it "the craziest thing I've ever heard."

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Petti valued its remaining operating business at just $6.6 billion, calling mergers-and-acquisitions activity the “primary upside catalyst.”

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

Part of the way the law fails women is through the narrative that what I’m calling “overentitlement” is actually in line with what everyone wants and is consenting to.

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

In fact, Elisha’s moralizing about her profession made her teasingly start calling him “preacher.”

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Both futures speak to him as true callings, both as worthy directions for his soul’s devotion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

Educating young people about classical music and, most importantly, exposing them to the joys of it, remains one of Conlon’s most urgent callings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2024

He is generous with details and evocative descriptions of his many callings.

From Washington Times ● Jan. 24, 2023

Working long hours in my callings was part of the appeal.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 30, 2022

“No. We don’t get callings because we live so far. How about you? Do you play in the praise band at your new church?”

From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner

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