calling

noun

call·​ing ˈkȯ-liŋ How to pronounce calling (audio)
1
: a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence
2
: the vocation or profession in which one customarily engages
3
: the characteristic cry of a female cat in heat
also : the period of heat
Choose the Right Synonym for calling

work, employment, occupation, calling, pursuit, métier, business mean a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living.

work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

Examples of calling in a Sentence

He had always felt a calling to help others. He experienced a calling to enter the priesthood.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Branded calling can enable businesses to add rich call content like name, logo and reason for the call to the mobile display, so customers recognize who’s calling and are more likely to answer. James Garvert, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 Bad Bunny’s calling out of ICE’s activities comes as other major Latin American music acts have used their platforms to condemn the ICE raids and align their sympathies with immigrants. Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025 But sadly this is kind of the direction the administration is taking things with the – the mass deportations, with the calling out of the military in violation of the law. Nbc News, NBC news, 15 June 2025 Mayor Brandon Johnson’s racially divisive rhetoric has become a political calling card. Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for calling

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of calling was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Calling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calling. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

calling

noun
call·​ing ˈkȯ-liŋ How to pronounce calling (audio)

Medical Definition

calling

noun
call·​ing ˈkȯ-liŋ How to pronounce calling (audio)
: the characteristic cry of a female cat in heat
also : the period of heat

More from Merriam-Webster on calling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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