doing 1 of 2

noun

ˈdü-iŋ How to pronounce doing (audio)
Definition of doingnext
as in thing
something done by someone is that mess in the kitchen your doing?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

doing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of do
1
as in serving
to be fitting or proper that outfit just won't do for the opera

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in sufficing
to be enough even half of that amount of sugar will do

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in performing
to carry through (as a process) to completion do as much as you can and leave the rest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in decorating
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming did the living room in French provincial style

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in coping
to meet one's day-to-day needs I'm doing just fine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in creating
to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind) this neighborhood cleanup effort might just do some good

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in imitating
to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of the laughing partygoers begged their host to do Marlon Brando again

Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in progressing
to move forward along a course how are you doing with the house restoration?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in playing
to present a portrayal or performance of she's done Eliza Doolittle on the stage so many times that she can probably play the flower girl in her sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words
10
as in squeezing
to rob by the use of trickery or threats did them out of their savings with surprising ease

Synonyms & Similar Words
11
as in hiding
to strike repeatedly no one is sure who did them in that alley

Synonyms & Similar Words
12
as in happening
to take place nothing's ever doing in this boring little town

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 doing
Noun
But given the governing bodies’ reputation for shadowy financial doings, there are reasons to think much of the money will never be properly accounted for. — Stefan Szymanski, Fortune, 12 June 2026 But given the governing bodies’ reputation for shadowy financial doings, there are reasons to think much of the money will never be properly accounted for. — Stefan Szymanski, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Verb
Remember how everybody was doing the croissant and cookie dough thing? — Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 July 2026 Australia's leaders historically ruled out doing the same until Delhi signed the treaty. — ABC News, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for doing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doing
  1. thing
  2. serving
  3. performing
  4. decorating
  5. coping
  6. creating
  7. imitating
  8. progressing
Noun
  • One of the most concerning things about the situation is that someone left such an explosive just lying around.
    — Jazmin Alvarado, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • But working and maintainable are not the same thing, which is where companies start making very expensive mistakes.
    — Oleg Lola, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of thing
Verb
  • Two Latinos are running in this year’s election to replace Councilmember Curren Price, who is Black and retiring after serving the maximum three terms.
    — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • That collection includes serving trays, platters, linens, vases, and wine goblets with pops of blues and yellows for a coastal vibe.
    — Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
Definition of serving
Verb
  • Bad Bunny seamlessly moved from the stage to the couture scene, performing on Sunday night at Plenitude Arena in Paris, before turning heads the next morning at Schiaparelli’s show at the Petit Palais in a butter yellow suit.
    — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 10 July 2026
  • The 24-year-old South Korean artist will also be performing on the Museum’s Ray Charles Rooftop Terrance, where attendees can enjoy the show with views of downtown Los Angeles.
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of performing
Verb
  • The decision also reflected a larger change in the way Taylor thought about decorating.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
  • Among DeJohn’s hobbies were flower arranging, collecting anything blue and white, gardening, and decorating.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 2 July 2026
Definition of decorating
Verb
  • Across Connecticut, families coping with PTSD, chronic pain, depression and treatment-resistant mental health conditions are looking for therapies that offer hope when conventional approaches have fallen short.
    — John R. Gordon, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026
  • Josefina, growing up on a New Mexico ranch in the 1820s, is coping with her mother’s death.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of coping
Verb
  • Plus, darker tones help muffle visual clutter, creating a calming mood that feels loads richer than your budget might suggest.
    — Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 8 July 2026
  • These elegant, loose-fitting pull-on pants sit high on the waist, creating a leg-lengthening effect.
    — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2026
Definition of creating
Verb
  • Some of the most notable moments show Atlas imitating human emotional reactions.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 24 June 2026
  • To celebrate, Gazza lay down on the grass and opened his mouth wide, imitating the dentist’s chair that had got him and his team-mates into so much bother a few weeks earlier.
    — The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 18 June 2026
Definition of imitating
Verb
  • As long as Argentina keeps progressing, Messi will keep scoring.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 8 July 2026
  • Their chances of progressing in the soccer tournament dwindled further when they were beaten 3-0 by Brazil in Miami on Wednesday, June 24.
    — Jaclyn Hendricks, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
Definition of progressing

Phrases Containing doing

Browse Nearby Words

do in
doing
doing a number on
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doing. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on doing

Nglish: Translation of doing for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of xeric

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All