judging
Americanadjective
-
rendering an authoritative decision, as in a legal case, contest, dispute, or the like.
He received the highest praise on his cooking contest entry from the judging chefs in their feedback.
-
hearing evidence or arguments in a case in order to render a decision.
The appeal and second appeal will last approximately one year each, depending on the judging court and the evidence.
-
evaluating, assessing, or forming a critical opinion of someone or something.
We think all rightly judging readers will reject such an unlikely interpretation.
-
making or expressing a negative assessment of someone or something; condemning.
I’d refrain from using judging words like "slob" and "ungracious," as those will lead to defensiveness and hurt feelings.
-
making a careful guess or estimate.
It’s hard to reckon one’s distance from something when the judging eye is under water and the target is in the air.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of judging
First recorded in 1325–75; judg(e) ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; judg(e) ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun sense
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.
But judging by Barker’s shallow screenplay, I doubt that it will be too long before someone digs deeper, striking an unassailable, solid-gold classic.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
At the California Institute of the Arts, administrators expressed concern about judging earnings four years after graduation given the nature of the field they are teaching.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
The VAR would merely be judging a foul - as was the case with Martinez - rather than a penalty.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
CPS workers—who are often referred to in low-income communities as “the family police”—are tasked with addressing social welfare needs after they’ve already lost the trust of families by intimidating and judging them during investigations.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
In time, judging from his uncombed and disheveled physical appearance, it was difficult to differentiate Bobby from the down-and-outers of the area.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.