parking

American  

[par-king] / ˈpær kɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that parks, especially a vehicle.

2. space in which to park vehicles, as at a place of business or a public event.

   There's plenty of free parking at the stadium.

3. permission to park vehicles.

   Is there parking on this side of the street?

4. the activity or occupation of a person who operates or works in a parking lot, garage, or the like.

5. parking strip.

6. Informal. the act of kissing and caressing in a parked car.

   Some of the couples went parking on their way home from the dance.

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adjective

1. of, pertaining to, used for, or engaged in parking, especially of vehicles.

   parking regulations; a parking ticket; a parking space; a parking attendant.

Other Word Forms

• unparking adjective

Etymology

Origin of parking

First recorded in 1520–30; park + -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

“The average cost of owning a car in the U.S. is over $1,000 per month, which includes financing, insurance, maintenance, taxes, parking and fuel. That’s roughly half of our total monthly expenditures,” they wrote.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

That has led to criticism that donors are parking money in them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

That may have been outré to a middle and high-schooler trying to be cool, but at some point post-college, the Chili Peppers became synonymous with sweaty fools passing out in strip mall parking lots.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

His party is pledging to scrap parking charges in town centres in a bid to revive high streets.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

After an hour or two meandering through the redwoods, Mom sharing a bunch of different facts as we go, we turn to make our way back to the parking lot.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Related Words

• embracing