planning
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of planning
Explanation
You can use the noun planning to talk about the process of making a plan. Your elaborate tree house project will require hours of planning before you hammer a single nail into a piece of wood. Planning is the act of getting ready for something to happen — you might find that the planning for the prom and the excitement it brings is as fun as the event itself. During planning for any event, you figure out what things you will need, how long it will take, and what you will do if anything goes wrong. For a cook, planning might include finding and measuring all ingredients, gathering the pots and pans they will need, even checking that the stove works!
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.
The researchers say proactive, evidence based planning will become increasingly important as climate change continues to alter habitats and shift species distributions.
From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026
Her petition has gained more than 40,000 signatures and she is planning on taking it to parliament later this year.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook is planning to step down in September, handing the reins to John Ternus, senior vice president of hardware engineering.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
In January 2011, Epstein was planning to meet with Gates.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
Today and tomorrow were planning days for teachers, so Jonathan did not have school.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
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.
