- present participle of like.
liking
Americannoun
-
preference, inclination, or favor.
to show a liking for privacy.
- Synonyms:
- affection, fondness, partiality, predilection, propensity, leaning
- Antonyms:
- antipathy
-
pleasure or taste.
much to his liking.
-
the state or feeling of a person who likes.
noun
-
the feeling of a person who likes; fondness
-
a preference, inclination, or pleasure
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of liking
before 900; Middle English; Old English līcung. See like 2, -ing 1
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.
See Examples For:
I’d probably meet up with a friend and go to the Silverlake Flea Market, which I’ve been really liking recently.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Bake until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your liking.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
“Who knows? Maybe their parents might end up liking this too.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Unofficial poll time: How are you liking the World Cup now?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
“There’s nothing inherently wrong with liking wine, Bull.”
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
They are, wrote Dickens, “the curious old records of likings and dislikings; of jealousies and revenges; of affection defying the power of death, and hatred pursued beyond the grave.”
From The Guardian ● Jun. 12, 2015
All Alaskans have their likings, their wants, their plans for solving the problems of the Territory, but in nearly every case two sets of opposite demands were presented to the President.
From Time Magazine Archive
In matters of art, Blake's hates were as passionate and as swollen with moral assurance as his likings.
From Time Magazine Archive
Yamaha was fourth, not because it's a bad bike, but I think it caters to the likings of intermediates and pros.
From Time Magazine Archive
Hobbits have a passion for mushrooms, surpassing even the greediest likings of Big People.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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.
