calling 1 of 2

calling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of call
1
2
as in dialing
to make a telephone call to use this cell phone to call me if there's an emergency

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
5
6
as in crying
to utter one's distinctive animal sound the dog called whenever it flushed a quail

Synonyms & Similar Words

7
8
as in estimating
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement let's call that five feet for now, and we'll measure it out later

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

9
10
11
as in ordering
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority the union president is refusing to call a strike

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

12

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun calling differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of calling are business, employment, métier, occupation, pursuit, and work. While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

Where would business be a reasonable alternative to calling?

While in some cases nearly identical to calling, business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

In what contexts can employment take the place of calling?

The words employment and calling can be used in similar contexts, but employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

When might métier be a better fit than calling?

The synonyms métier and calling are sometimes interchangeable, but métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

When can occupation be used instead of calling?

The meanings of occupation and calling largely overlap; however, occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

When is it sensible to use pursuit instead of calling?

Although the words pursuit and calling have much in common, pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

When would work be a good substitute for calling?

While the synonyms work and calling are close in meaning, work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of calling
Noun
Sequoia introduced some usability enhancements, like iPhone mirroring, split-screen management, presenter tools for video calling, and dozens of improvements for native Mac apps. PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2025 New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns racked up two sacks in the team’s devastating loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday and expressed his frustrations with the play-calling at the end of the game. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has been bullish on pushing the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), courts and the company itself toward calling drivers who work for its delivery service partners (DSPs) Amazon employees. Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025 His sister pleaded with him not to risk meeting the Taliban, calling his mother in tears. Vidushi Mishti Sharma, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for calling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calling
Noun
  • She was fed up with actors (like Maya Rudolph) dipping their toe into someone’s lifelong vocation and claiming to be an expert.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Universities have abandoned soul formation in favor of vocation, losing their moral vision in pursuit of market metrics.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Then, a man stood up and started shouting at Harris.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
  • His clips are pretty rudimentary tributes to guys like Thomas Sankara, the former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, shouting them out with highlight reels and songs by 100 gecs and Jersey club collective TwerkNation28.
    Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While Guardiola might still refer to formations as phone numbers, the use of a 4-2-3-1 appears to be dialling back up.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Chinese leaders may decide to continue dialing up tensions, perhaps even derailing the talks and reigniting the spring’s tit-for-tat tariff war.
    Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • How to Watch Grizzlies vs Warriors Rookie Cedric Coward scored 22 of his game-high 27 points in the second half as Memphis pulled away from the visiting Indiana Pacers on Saturday night for a 128-103 blowout victory.
    Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025
  • As kobolds go, Heinzelmann was more harmless than most, going about his business protecting the castle from giants and dwarves and keeping the staff updated on faerie gossip, as well as protecting the chambermaids from unwelcome attentions from visiting noblemen.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Before the game, manager John Schneider called for Dodger fans not to boo him, considering how much time had passed.
    Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025
  • At least one student at the student body meeting considering the chapter objected to TPUSA's values, according to left-wing blog Fight Back!
    Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Reich remembers Zettel crying and her daughter leaving in an ambulance.
    David Clarey, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Gretchen continues this revelation on the bus and starts crying.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Navigating the software involves using hand gestures and speech, although the headset also has a button for summoning Google’s Gemini and a touchpad.
    Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
  • This funds Saverino the naturalistic tonal shifts into her character’s feminist, middle-aged adult self, summoning memories and deductions about the lives of her grandmother and mother.
    Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The next few years led to a major bounce in Halloween’s popularity, with Ben Cooper estimating that overall costume sales tripled.
    Mark Dent, HubSpot, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Since then, the list of automakers offering CarPlay has only grown, with Apple estimating more than 800 vehicles are compatible.
    Liam Rappleye, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Calling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calling. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

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