publishing

noun

pub·​lish·​ing ˈpə-bli-shiŋ 

: the business or profession of the commercial production and issuance of literature, information, musical scores or sometimes recordings, or art

newspaper publishing

software publishing

Examples of publishing in a Sentence

He was hoping to get a job in publishing after college.

Her sister works for a well-known publishing company.

Recent Examples on the Web

Thanks to the shrinking publishing industry and dwindling writerly job market, the internet is rife with smart freelance editors, rigorous copy editors, and award-winning authors moonlighting as book doulas. — Keziah Weir, Vanity Fair, 13 Aug. 2026

Murcko comes to Fixated after holding senior business and revenue posts for digital firms as Skimm, Fullscreen, Catch+Release and traditional publishing giants including Condé Nast, Gannett and Rodale. — William Earl, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026

For agency professionals, the publishing experience offers lessons that extend well beyond book promotion. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Given those pressures, a wholesale ban on AI is unreasonable, says Kathleen Schmidt, a publishing strategist who has worked in the industry for more than 30 years. — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English publisching "act of announcing, public declaration, issuing of copies of a book," from gerund of publisshen "to make known, publish"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing publishing

• desktop publishing
• electronic publishing