judging

American  

[juhj-ing] / ˈdʒʌdʒ ɪŋ /

adjective

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. evaluating, assessing, or forming a critical opinion of someone or something.

   We think all rightly judging readers will reject such an unlikely interpretation.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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noun

1. the act of rendering an authoritative decision, forming an estimate or critical opinion, or making or expressing a negative assessment of someone or something.

   The highlight of the evening was the judging of the Best in Red competition.

   I’m tired of the constant judging and critiquing by others.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unjudging
  adjective
• judgingly
  adverb

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

They came from my training in thinking like an economist—reasoning about probabilities, spotting perverse incentives and judging which details actually affect decisions.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

The incident could also puncture the space stocks bubble, judging by how investors were reacting ahead of Friday’s opening bell.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

"It's a captivating, slyly sophisticated novel," said Natasha Brown, the chair of the judging panel.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

Still, I will push back on your suggestion that he was overtly judging or looking down on other people who were less well off.

From MarketWatch • May 15, 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