parsing

American  

[pahr-sing] / ˈpɑr sɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of analyzing sentences or their elements grammatically.

   Many sites offer additional help for those studying classical Greek texts, such as quick parsing and translation.

2. the act or process of analyzing language, behavior, events, etc., closely or minutely to discover their implications or deeper meaning.

   At first I interpreted the case the same way, but on second thought, and after careful parsing of the press releases, it's not as clear-cut.

   There will always be opportunities to entertain disquisitions on the subject, more detailed parsing of the circumstances, and so on.

3. Computers. the process of analyzing character strings in order to associate them with syntactic units of the underlying grammar.

   If the file path contains spaces, use double quotes to ensure correct parsing.

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Etymology

Origin of parsing

pars(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

We must move beyond parsing each word, every day, searching for meaning in gibberish.

From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026

As a journalist, I could access certain electronic databases and consult friends and family more skilled at parsing studies and long-term survival data across transplant centers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

Investors will also be parsing how officials described the balance of risks and whether there was significant disagreement there.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Even the mystery she’s trying to unravel depends on correctly parsing the meaning of syntax and conjugation.

From Salon • Jan. 18, 2026

Eating well, healthy?—and parsing every word for tone and nuance, as if his sentences are a code I can crack.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline