goings-on

plural noun

go·​ings-on ˌgō-iŋ-ˈzȯn 

ˌgȯ(-)iŋ-,

-ˈzän

1

: actions, events

2

: irregular or reprehensible happenings or conduct

Examples of goings-on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But the actual athletic goings-on at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center are only part of the draw—the who’s-in-the-stands-with-whom intrigue at the US Open is arguably just as appealing. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 27 Aug. 2025

Located on the hotel’s 22nd floor and lined with floor-to-ceiling windows and chic plantscaping, the pool is a serene retreat, offering a 360-degree perch for guests to observe the goings-on below. —Kenne Dibner, Travel + Leisure, 19 Aug. 2025

Inca bureaucrats recorded all the goings-on in their bustling empire using knotted cords called khipu, where the position and order of the knots represented numbers. —ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2025

The native New Yorker’s involvement with her father’s second administration (even in an entertainment capacity) is somewhat surprising, given her prior stance on goings-on inside the Beltway. —Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for goings-on

• aileron
• antiphon
• autobahn
• carillon
• castellan
• celadon
• cephalon
• chitosan
• cynodon
• denouement
• deuteron
• echelon

Kids Definition

goings-on

plural noun

go·​ings-on

ˌgō-iŋ-ˈzȯn,

-ˈän

: actions or events that are taking place