writing

noun

writ·ing | \ ˈrī-tiŋ

Definition of writing

1 : the act or process of one who writes: such as

a : the act or art of forming visible letters or characters specifically : handwriting sense 1

b : the act or practice of literary or musical composition

2 : something written: such as

a : letters or characters that serve as visible signs of ideas, words, or symbols

b : a letter, note, or notice used to communicate or record

c : a written composition

d : inscription

3 : a style or form of composition

4 : the occupation of a writer especially : the profession of authorship

writing on the wall

: an omen or sign of one's unpleasant fate No one told him he was going to be fired, but he could see the writing on the wall. [=he could see that he was going to be fired soon]

Examples of writing in a Sentence

Writing usually isn't a lucrative career, but it has been very fulfilling for me. He teaches creative writing at the university. Few people nowadays care about the art of letter writing. The novel's plot is okay, but the writing is horrible. I asked a friend to critique my writing. Her essay was a wonderful piece of writing. She has a unique writing style. Much of the best Japanese writing has not been translated into English. the writings of Benjamin Franklin a book of selected writings on moral philosophy

Recent Examples on the Web

Did doing the writing tease out anything new about her? — Adam Rathe, Town & Country, "Gentleman Jack Creator Sally Wainwright on the Secret Code in Anne Lister’s Diaries," 30 Apr. 2019 Sure, the writing wasn't consistently on par with prior seasons, but there were several standout episodes that bode well for season two (slated for 2020). — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "TV Technica 2018: Our favorite shows and binges," 24 Dec. 2018 The writing is crisp and funny, as Less navigates a comedic gauntlet of awkward, international social situations like unknowingly and relentlessly butchering a foreign language. — Vox Staff, Vox, "The most thought-provoking books the Vox staff read in 2018," 21 Dec. 2018 The writing was probably on the wall when Dugan quit last year after only 18 months, having shipped nothing. — Casey Newton, The Verge, "22 predictions for social media in 2019," 15 Dec. 2018 The writing was on the wall when a California couple decided to renovate their bathroom. — Fox News, "California couple finds time capsule message during home renovation," 2 Oct. 2018 But the writing is still pretty good at this point, so. — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, "Every Single Episode of Gossip Girl, Ranked," 19 Sep. 2018 What isn’t always apparent, primarily because of the humor of the writing, is the kind of malevolence and desperation that could compel a man to try to have another man killed. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "Sex, Lies, and Bunnies in A Very English Scandal," 3 July 2018 Prince Philip has since apologized in writing to at least one of the women, Emma Fairweather. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "Queen Elizabeth Will Reportedly Stop Driving on Public Roads," 1 Apr. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'writing.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.