going

1 of 2

noun

go·​ing ˈgō-iŋ How to pronounce going (audio)
ˈgȯ(-)iŋ
1
: an act or instance of going
2
goings plural : behavior, actions
for his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goingsJob 34:21 (King James Version)
3
: the condition of the ground (as for walking)
4
: advance toward an objective
when the going gets tough

going

2 of 2

adjective

1
a
: that goes
often used in combination
easygoing
outgoing
b
: working, moving
everything was in going order
2
: living, existing
the best novelist going
3
: current, prevailing
going price
4
: conducting business with the expectation of indefinite continuance
a going concern
Phrases
going on
: drawing near to : approaching
is six years old going on seven

Examples of going in a Sentence

Noun Debris in the street made the going difficult. The going got better as we neared the town. She wrote four books in two years, and that's pretty good going by any standards! Adjective He's the best novelist going. what's the going price for a good used washing machine?
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Rhee noted that such privileges have fed into less favorable views of Korean Americans as spoiled opportunists — fair-weather Koreans who had left the country when things were tough only to return now that the going is good. Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024 Breaking the long going cycle of mental illness in minority communities & normalizing the conversation around mental health. Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 11 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Mix and match earth tones, and lay pillows flat for a super easy-going, effortless look. Angela Belt, House Beautiful, 23 Jan. 2023 Additional statements by Musk and Tesla reinforced the false impression given by Musk's going-private claim, the lead plaintiff says. Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 13 Jan. 2023 See all Example Sentences for going 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'going.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of going was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near going

Cite this Entry

“Going.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/going. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

going

1 of 2 noun
go·​ing ˈgō-iŋ How to pronounce going (audio)
1
2
: the condition of the ground especially for walking or driving
3
: advance toward an objective : progress

going

2 of 2 adjective
1
: being in existence : alive
best novelist going
2
3
: being successful and likely to continue successfully
a going concern

More from Merriam-Webster on going

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