writing
noun
Simple meaning
words created on paper or a screen, or the act of doing so
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
rytingSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈɹaɪtɪŋ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
usually plural
The collected work of an author
“The idea occurs with increasing frequency in Hemingway's writings.”
Letters or symbols that are written or imprinted on a surface to represent the sounds or words of a language
“He turned the paper over so the writing wouldn't show.”
uncountable
Graphism of symbols such as letters that express some meaning.
The work of a writer; anything expressed in letters of the alphabet (especially when considered from the point of view of style and effect)
“The writing in her novels is excellent.”
The activity of putting something in written form
“She did the thinking while he did the writing.”
countable
Something written, such as a document, article or book.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner (estimated)
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The collected work of an author
Used this way, writing is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“The idea occurs with increasing frequency in Hemingway's writings.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
How It’s Used
The word’s distinct uses, one example each.
Letters / graphismnoun
“He turned the paper over so the writing wouldn't show.”
Collectednoun
“The idea occurs with increasing frequency in Hemingway's writings.”
Activitynoun
“She did the thinking while he did the writing.”
More ways to use writing
- “Writing was a form of therapy for him.”noun
- “He turned the paper over so the writing wouldn't show.”noun
- “The writing in her novels is excellent.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
Produce a literary work.
A legal document issued by a court or judicial officer.
The third of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
Writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay).
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
An arm of a tablet-armed chair.
An assignment to write something.
Work surface consisting of a wide lightweight board that can be placed across the lap and used for writing.
A portable case containing writing materials and having a writing surface.
An implement that is used to write.
Any permanent or washable ink used with pens.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
Set down in writing in any of various ways.
Put down in writing.
Put into writing.
Bring to public notice by writing, with praise or condemnation.
Muscular spasms of thumb and forefinger while writing with a pen or pencil.
Writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature).
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.