gauging

American

[gey-jing] / ˈgeɪ dʒɪŋ /

noun

the act of determining the exact dimensions, capacity, quantity, or force of something; measurement.

Proper mechanical gauging of each connector is essential to ensure correct fit.
The gauging of the canal boats is carried out at a weigh dock.
the act of judging, estimating, or appraising.

Poker involves the careful gauging of other players’ hidden reactions by reading their faces and movements.
the act or process of gradually stretching a pierced body part by wearing increasingly larger objects in the opening.

The practice of earlobe gauging has become a fairly frequent type of body modification.

Other Word Forms

self-gauging

adjective

Etymology

Origin of gauging

First recorded in 1425–75; 2005–10 gauging for def. 3; gauge ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It is the first step to start gauging investor interest in what would probably be one of the biggest IPOs in history.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

Sitting in the center of the room, personally overseeing the tryouts, Wembanyama conducted a series of unusually loud job interviews—listening to chants, gauging volume and pressure-testing die-hard levels.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

Patient investors get the benefit of seeing more quarterly results and gauging SpaceX’s progress toward justifying its valuation.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

There are no communications inside the VAR room, no mobile phones, no way of gauging if you've done the right thing.

From BBC • May 10, 2026

Exquisitely detailed, it indicates that half a mile downstream, in the throat of the canyon, is a gauging station that was built by the U.S.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023