walking

1 of 2

noun

walk·​ing ˈwȯ-kiŋ 

1

: the action of one that walks

2

: the condition of a surface for one going on foot

the walking is slippery

walking

2 of 2

adjective

1

a

: able to walk : ambulatory

the walking wounded

b

: being the personification of a nonhuman quality or thing

a walking encyclopedia

2

a

: used for or in walking

walking shoes

b

: characterized by or consisting of the action of walking

a walking tour

3

: that moves or appears to move in a manner suggestive of walking

especially : that swings or rocks back and forth

walking beam

4

: guided or operated by a person on foot

a walking plow

Examples of walking in a Sentence

Noun

She goes walking every day in the park.

Adjective

a good pair of walking shoes

They were going at a walking pace.

She is a walking disaster.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Wrigleyville was still a relatively insular neighborhood in ’90, with a few bars and Yum-Yum Donuts within walking distance of the park. —Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025

Dog walking, house cleaning, hoarder helping, tutoring and surf instructing, to name a few. —Skyler Caruso, People.com, 19 June 2025

Adjective

The property is also within short walking distance of some recognizable hot spots: the Staples Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center. —Adam Lapetina, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2020

These people are all within walking distance of one another in Rhinebeck. —Ben Brantley, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing walking

• go walking
• Tennessee walking horse
• the walking wounded
• walking catfish
• walking delegate
• walking leaf
• walking on air
• walking papers
• walking pneumonia
• walking stick
• within/in walking distance

Rhymes for walking

• blocking
• caulking
• chalking
• clocking
• cocking
• docking
• flocking
• gawking
• knocking
• locking
• mocking
• rocking

Medical Definition

walking

adjective

walk·​ing ˈwȯ-kiŋ 

: able to walk : ambulatory