doing

noun

do·​ing ˈdü-iŋ How to pronounce doing (audio)
1
: the act of performing or executing : action
that will take a great deal of doing
2
doings plural
a
: things that are done or that occur : goings-on
everyday doings
b
: social activities

Examples of doing in a Sentence

It's the doing of the good deed that is important, not the thanks you receive. is that mess in the kitchen your doing?
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.
Hutch, who had taught Julia the art of visualization, had told her that the nature of anything, including cognition, was best understood in the doing. Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025 Those who've landed on top have come to believe that their success is their own doing, the measure of their merit, and by implication, that those who struggle must deserve their fate too. Belinda Luscombe, Time, 13 Oct. 2025 Their season is on the line, and Tuesday, so much of it was their own doing. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025 The scrapbook wasn't her mother's doing, but rather the work of her older sister. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for doing

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of doing was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doing. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

doing

noun
do·​ing ˈdü-iŋ How to pronounce doing (audio)
1
: the act of performing or carrying out : action
it will take some doing to beat us
2
plural
a
: things that are done or that occur
everyday doings
b
: social activities
big doings tonight

More from Merriam-Webster on doing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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