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
Martin also shared a video of a woman on TikTok calling for Musk to be assassinated. Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 Feb. 2025 Reese's comments sparked a fury of reactions across social media, with some calling on the airline to do more for the passengers. Chantz Martin, Fox News, 21 Feb. 2025 George Clooney, who authored an op-ed calling on then-President Joe Biden to exit the 2024 race, is weighing in on President Donald Trump's election victory. Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025 An early board member for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and lifelong ambassador for the craft of wildlife calling, Carlton told me his calling techniques were shaped by an early career as an auctioneer. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for calling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calling
Noun
  • As for Hawke, the site has become not only a place of healing, connection and community, but also an unexpected vocation.
    Brian M. Sloan, NBC News, 9 Feb. 2025
  • Urbano believes there’s a greater purpose at work in her life, and in her vocation.
    Paul Eisenberg, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Among its selections this spring is this 2001 satire that, considering climate change and our incoming administration, will probably still hit pretty hard.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
  • The rule could have prevented the government from considering important health research in setting pollution limits.
    Eric Nost, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • In the latest version of the Files by Google app, summoning Gemini while looking at a PDF gives you the option to ask about the file, writes Android Police.
    Wes Davis, The Verge, 21 Dec. 2024
  • By the 1980s, when more modern methods of summoning help had supplanted its usefulness, the tower remained as a beacon for bored teenagers.
    Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • You’d be forgiven for estimating that about half of those have come in games against Philadelphia.
    Kevin Kurz, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
  • So if, as articles like this one suggest, Nvidia wants to start selling web services and software subscriptions to businesses,leaders are estimating that the company can make $150 billion a year!
    John Werner, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The new series of the British crime drama opens with a disturbing mystery, when the death of an elderly woman found in a cave has the team asking what drives a person to murder someone so vulnerable.
    Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Dec. 2024
  • Consider routinely walking up to your staff’s desks and openly asking if there is anything your team could do better.
    Phillimon Zongo, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • This simulation helps in predicting potential impacts and unforeseen outcomes that may arise from format adjustments.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024
  • Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, the 36-year-old reality star (whose real name is Angela White) shared her confidence in her 8-year-old daughter's future, predicting that Dream will follow in her family's footsteps and become a businesswoman and a leader.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The cancellation of this year's meeting has raised concerns as influenza has increased across the United States.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Depending on the company, optional add-ons like trip cancellation coverage or pet injury protection may also be available.
    Joan Pabón, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Art critic Eva Diaz, writing for ArtReview, says that Of the ‘creative’ pursuits, architecture is among the most dependent on big piles of capital in order to get its work off the ground: patronage is a constitutive yoke of the profession.
    Matt Shaw, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
  • And coming back to any profession following a stroke of any magnitude is not easy.
    Zach Harper, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Calling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calling. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on calling

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!