surfing

American

[sur-fing] / ˈsɜr fɪŋ /

noun

the act or sport of riding the surf, as on a surfboard.

surfing British

/ ˈsɜːfɪŋ /

noun

the sport of riding towards shore on the crest of a wave by standing or lying on a surfboard

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

surfer

noun

Etymology

Origin of surfing

First recorded in 1915–20; surf + -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:

surfing

The magazine also featured photographs of Macron engaging in water sports such as foil surfing, during a summer marked by successive heatwaves and deadly fires in France.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

It made possible nearly every facet of digital life, from surfing the internet to texting friends.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

A strong group of teams will be traveling to Hawaii next month, so they’ll be getting ready a little faster for football and surfing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Near the French surfing hotspot of Le Grand Crohot, an AFP reporter saw violent gusts of wind whipping up flames as firefighting aircraft attempted to extinguish a rekindled fire.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

Their sides were so steep the lifeboat started sliding down them, nearly surfing.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023