Showing results for "finding"

• present participle of find.

finding

American  

[fahyn-ding] / ˈfaɪn dɪŋ /

noun

findings plural

1. the act of a person or thing that finds; discovery.

2. Often findings. something that is found or ascertained.

3. Law. a decision or verdict after judicial inquiry.

4. findings, tools, materials, etc., used by artisans.

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finding British  

/ ˈfaɪndɪŋ /

noun

1. a thing that is found or discovered

2. law the conclusion reached after a judicial inquiry; verdict

3. (plural) the tools and equipment of an artisan

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonfinding
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• findings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of finding

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English; find + -ing ¹

Explanation

A finding is a discovery, especially by scholars or scientists. Finding is the act of researching or analyzing something. If the dog digs up the hamster grave in the backyard, better not to share his finding with the neighbors. Findings are facts that have been found, especially by academics studying something. A dietary study could have the finding that more people are avoiding gluten. An economic study could have the finding that more people are working out of their home. An environmental study could have the finding that a type of toxin is increasing. A dog’s finding would be a little less academic. The word is usually plural, because it usually refers to more than one thing found.

Example Sentences

Recent college grads are having a harder time finding employment than in previous years.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 9, 2026

"These two things make finding quasars at these distances incredibly difficult," said lead author Daming Yang, a doctoral student in Hennawi's group at Leiden University.

From Science Daily • Jul. 9, 2026

His only greater fear, he added, was not finding his son at all.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026

"Generations of animals have grown up finding food of high nutritional value more easily near residential areas. We are heading, with mathematical certainty, towards more unpleasant situations," Karamanlidis said.

From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026

Mr. Hodge began explaining the point of the hike, something about fitting into nature, finding one’s identity through connecting with one’s environment.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Related Words

• conclusion
• data
• decision
• discovery
• recommendation