calling 1 of 2

calling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of call
1
2
as in dialing
to make a telephone call to use this cell phone to call me if there's an emergency

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
5
6
as in crying
to utter one's distinctive animal sound the dog called whenever it flushed a quail

Synonyms & Similar Words

7
8
as in estimating
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement let's call that five feet for now, and we'll measure it out later

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

9
10
11
as in ordering
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority the union president is refusing to call a strike

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

12

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun calling differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of calling are business, employment, métier, occupation, pursuit, and work. While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

Where would business be a reasonable alternative to calling?

While in some cases nearly identical to calling, business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

In what contexts can employment take the place of calling?

The words employment and calling can be used in similar contexts, but employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

When might métier be a better fit than calling?

The synonyms métier and calling are sometimes interchangeable, but métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

When can occupation be used instead of calling?

The meanings of occupation and calling largely overlap; however, occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

When is it sensible to use pursuit instead of calling?

Although the words pursuit and calling have much in common, pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

When would work be a good substitute for calling?

While the synonyms work and calling are close in meaning, work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of calling
Noun
Attaching documents to emails, sending emails, video calling and uploading photos all depend on your upload speed. Kara McGinley, USA Today, 11 June 2025 Trump’s order authorized the calling up of 2,000 National Guard troops into federal service for a period of 60 days. Ted Johnson, Deadline, 9 June 2025 For many people, hearing Brian Wilson for the first time was a sort of gateway drug into a life devoted to music as a higher calling. Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 13 June 2025 Could a country that overwhelmingly voted for mass deportations ever feel a moral calling to defend immigrants again? Paola Ramos, Time, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for calling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calling
Noun
  • Ben scrapes by as a none-too-gracious DoorDash delivery driver, among other odd jobs; Jordan may have a vocation as a photographer, but needs to apply himself.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 27 June 2025
  • My grandmother found her vocation within the surrounding and seemingly infinite national forestland, and after helping at the family-run tavern and serving his country in World War II, my grandfather built handcrafted fishing rods.
    Paul Nicolaus, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Hoping for compensation Lewis is among those employees now considering legal action against Jingle.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Robert Saleh, former New York Jets head coach This might be the most popular hire among fans, considering that Saleh ran the 49ers’ 2019 defense, the unit the team has aspired to match ever since.
    Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • In the latest version of the Files by Google app, summoning Gemini while looking at a PDF gives you the option to ask about the file, writes Android Police.
    Wes Davis, The Verge, 21 Dec. 2024
  • By the 1980s, when more modern methods of summoning help had supplanted its usefulness, the tower remained as a beacon for bored teenagers.
    Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The dolphin deaths that are happening on the beaches are making this event even more tragic, Warner said, estimating that by the start of this week, more than 50 dolphins just in Los Angeles County had died.
    Erika I. Ritchie, Orange County Register, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Potentially more than 46,000 vehicles could require the fix, Tesla said, while conservatively estimating that only 1 percent of cars are likely defective.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The plaintiffs are asking the court to block the administration’s order, which puts Haitians at risk of being returned to a country overrun by deadly gangs.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The Purple One was not pleased when his band started asking questions.
    Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The 49ers being the sixth favorite to win the Super Bowl next year seems insane and more based on past success rather than predicting future success.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Analysts estimate that if the full 125% tariff hits without mitigation, iPhones could jump significantly in price—some predicting future models could reach $3,500.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • However, headsets aren’t just about noise cancellation.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • Her solution was to self-book her hotels through her credit card, which offers cancellation insurance.
    Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • Their professions range from sales representatives to community coaches, and Auckland’s winnings of roughly €4 million ($4.5 million) from the Club World Cup—peanuts to elite clubs—is a fortune for an entity and federation not used to dealing in such sums.
    Henry Flynn, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
  • Usher and Tom Brady Two titans in their respective professions, Usher and Brady were photographed near each other at the Gritti Palace Hotel.
    KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 28 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Calling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calling. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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