styling

1 of 2

present participle of style entry 2

styling

2 of 2

noun

styl·​ing ˈstī-liŋ 

plural stylings

1

: the way in which something is styled

clothing with classic styling

When it came time to redesign the compact Dakota, Dodge cleverly emulated the aggressive styling of its big, hot-selling Ram pickup.

—Consumer Reports

… Michael Jackson's sinuously breathy, often dreamy vocal stylings are prominent on only two or three of the eight selections.

—Robert Palmer

2

: hairstyling

did all of the styling and makeup for the movie

—often used before another noun

styling gels

styling tools

Examples of styling in a Sentence

Noun

a car with sleek new styling

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Professional styling is often an additional service charge at a stylist’s discretion. —Hunter Lacey, Allure, 9 Apr. 2026

Downstairs, a styling session for the fall 2026 collection; up here, on the fourth floor, almost every inch of space is taken by patternmakers, bolts of fabric, designers scuttling about, and racks and more racks of clothes. —Maya Singer, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2026

Designed specifically for fine or thinning hair, the spray works as both a styling and strengthening treatment. —Olivia Cefalu, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026

The new six-product styling line is the latest addition to the singer's hair care brand. —Caché McClay, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for styling

• filing
• piling
• smiling
• tiling
• beguiling
• compiling
• profiling
• refiling
• reviling
• stockpiling
• unsmiling
• reconciling