molding

noun

mold·​ing ˈmōl-diŋ 

1

: an object produced by molding

2

a

: a decorative recessed or relieved surface

b

: a decorative plane or curved strip used for ornamentation or finishing

Illustration of molding

• 1 fillet and fascia
• 2 torus
• 3 reeding
• 4 cavetto
• 5 scotia
• 6 congé
• 7 beak

Examples of molding in a Sentence

The house has beautiful moldings around its doors and windows.

Recent Examples on the Web

The 101-year-old property evokes Old World glamour through soaring ceilings, intricate marble moldings, rich wood finishes, and plush upholstered seating throughout its public spaces. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2026

The walls are walnut, with lovely and fiddly details in the molding. —Katie McDonough, Curbed, 16 Feb. 2026

No one wants their new, show-stopping cornflower blue on the room’s molding or the hardware on a door. —Jodi Gonzalez, The Spruce, 29 Jan. 2026

Much of the original millwork was carefully restored, with staircases and moldings brought back to life, and modern systems quietly integrated so the house functions like a 21st-century home while still feeling true to its origins. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing molding

• bed molding
• crown molding
• injection molding

Rhymes for molding

• folding
• holding
• moulding
• scolding
• beholding
• enfolding
• landholding
• refolding
• shareholding
• slaveholding
• stockholding
• unfolding

Kids Definition

molding

noun

mold·​ing ˈmōl-diŋ 

1

a

: the act or work of a person who molds

b

: an object produced by molding

2

: a strip of material having a shaped surface and used as a decoration (as on a wall or the edge of a table)

Medical Definition

molding

noun

mold·​ing

variants or chiefly British moulding

ˈmōl-diŋ 

: an act or process of molding

specifically : the shaping of the fetal head to allow it to pass through the birth canal during childbirth