modeling

American  

[mod-l-ing] / ˈmɒd l ɪŋ /

especially British, modelling

noun

1. the act, art, or profession of a person who models.

2. the process of producing sculptured form with some plastic material, as clay.

3. the technique of rendering the illusion of volume on a two-dimensional surface by shading.

4. the treatment of volume, as the turning of a form, in sculpture.

5. the representation, often mathematical, of a process, concept, or operation of a system, often implemented by a computer program.

6. Also called imitation.  Psychology. therapy in which a particular behavior is elicited by the observation of similar behavior in others.

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Etymology

Origin of modeling

First recorded in 1575–85; model + -ing ¹

Explanation

Modeling involves making a representation of something. Creating a tiny, functioning volcano is an example of modeling. Teachers use modeling when they have a class election that represents a larger one, like a presidential election. Modeling is anything that represents something else, usually on a smaller scale. Military commanders use physical and computer modeling to plan offensives. Modeling is helpful because it allows you to take a good look at something that is too big or impractical to see otherwise. If a tall beautiful person tells you he has a modeling career, he’s not a miniature version of something, but he does make money being a model. Outside the US, it’s often spelled with two l’s.

Example Sentences

Pommier and her husband, Peter Diel, were living in Miami in the late 1970s when she decided to stop modeling to start her own agency.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Revenue amounted to $1.85 billion, up 20% from a year before, whereas analysts were modeling $1.73 billion.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

Analysts tracked by FactSet were modeling $1.34, which would have translated to a decline of about 4%.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

Jefferies is modeling $146 million in revenue for Foundayo for the second quarter and $1.6 billion by the end of the year.

From Barron's • May 4, 2026

I’m modeling my dress, the same one TJ is making for me.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles

Related Words

• design
• painting