1
: a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence
2
: the vocation or profession in which one customarily engages
3
: the characteristic cry of a female cat in heat
also
: the period of heat
Synonyms
Examples of calling in a Sentence
He had always felt a calling to help others.
He experienced a calling to enter the priesthood.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bringing that humanity and that relatability to a character, whether it’s written for comic books or found in Shakespeare, has been Mackie’s calling since his days doing plays as a preteen.
—
Essence, 10 Feb. 2025
The investigative duo soon realizes their killer commits his crimes to a soundtrack, leaving poetic calling cards on the corpses.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 20 Jan. 2025
The magnetic analog switches are the TKL Rapid's main calling cards, and actuation customization is just one selling point.
—PCMAG, 17 Jan. 2025
Name calling, workplace gossip, nasty nicknames—the list of bad outcomes is virtually infinite.
—Andrew Couts, WIRED, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for calling 
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Essence, 10 Feb. 2025
The investigative duo soon realizes their killer commits his crimes to a soundtrack, leaving poetic calling cards on the corpses.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 20 Jan. 2025
The magnetic analog switches are the TKL Rapid's main calling cards, and actuation customization is just one selling point.
—PCMAG, 17 Jan. 2025
Name calling, workplace gossip, nasty nicknames—the list of bad outcomes is virtually infinite.
—Andrew Couts, WIRED, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for calling
Dictionary Entries Near calling
Cite this Entry
“Calling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calling. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
calling
noun
call·ing
ˈkȯ-liŋ 
Medical Definition
calling
noun
call·ing
ˈkȯ-liŋ
: the characteristic cry of a female cat in heat
also
: the period of heat
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