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

Searching for styling inspiration? —Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026

A little bit of creative styling will go a long way! —Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 9 Jan. 2026

Rather than telegraphing trouble in paradise, the move could simply be a styling choice—or a response to high temperatures, which cause one’s hands to swell and can make wearing a ring uncomfortable. —Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 9 Jan. 2026

For the occasion, the Elbas opted for sleek attire, with Dhowre Elba wearing a take on suited styling in monochrome. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 9 Jan. 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