conˈditioning: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal to neutral; common in academic, technical, and fitness contexts.
Quick answer
What does “conˈditioning” mean?
The process of training or influencing someone or something to behave or react in a particular way, often through repeated exposure or reinforcement.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The process of training or influencing someone or something to behave or react in a particular way, often through repeated exposure or reinforcement.
1. In psychology: a learning process where a response becomes associated with a stimulus. 2. In fitness/health: improving physical state through training. 3. In technology/engineering: preparing or treating a material or environment to meet specific requirements. 4. In social contexts: the shaping of attitudes or behaviors by cultural norms.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use the term identically across contexts. Spelling: always with 's' (not 'z').
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English in fitness/athletic contexts (e.g., 'air conditioning' is a very common collocation in both).
Grammar
How to Use “conˈditioning” in a Sentence
undergo conditioningsubject someone to conditioningbe a result of conditioninguse conditioning toconditioning involvesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “conˈditioning” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They are conditioning the athletes for the marathon.
- The ad campaign is conditioning us to associate luxury with their brand.
American English
- She's conditioning her hair with a new treatment.
- The regime conditioned the population through propaganda.
adverb
British English
- This shampoo works conditioningly on dry hair.
- The policy was conditioningly applied to all new recruits.
American English
- The trainer worked them conditioningly hard.
- The system operates conditioningly to maintain temperature.
adjective
British English
- The conditioning unit needs servicing.
- He gave a conditioning shampoo to the client.
American English
- The conditioning effect was noticeable after weeks.
- We offer conditioning treatments for leather goods.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to market conditioning (preparing consumers for a product) or conditioning terms of a deal.
Academic
Central term in psychology (behaviorism) and sociology.
Everyday
Most commonly refers to air conditioning or physical fitness training.
Technical
In engineering: data conditioning, signal conditioning, air/water conditioning.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “conˈditioning”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “conˈditioning”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “conˈditioning”
- Misspelling as 'conditioing' or 'condtioning'. Using 'condition' (noun/verb) when 'conditioning' (process) is needed. Confusing 'air conditioner' (device) with 'air conditioning' (process/system).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While it can imply manipulation in social contexts, it is neutral in psychology and positive in fitness (e.g., 'athletic conditioning').
Classical conditioning (Pavlov) pairs a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to create a new response. Operant conditioning (Skinner) uses reinforcement/punishment to strengthen or weaken voluntary behaviors.
Yes, the verb is 'to condition'. 'Conditioning' is the noun form (the process or result).
Only etymologically. Both come from the idea of bringing something to a required 'condition' or state. In practice, they are distinct semantic fields.
The process of training or influencing someone or something to behave or react in a particular way, often through repeated exposure or reinforcement.
Conˈditioning is usually formal to neutral; common in academic, technical, and fitness contexts. in register.
Conˈditioning: in British English it is pronounced /kənˈdɪʃənɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /kənˈdɪʃənɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Conditioned response”
- “A product of one's conditioning”
- “Break the conditioning”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CONditioner for your hair: it TRAINS your hair to be soft. CONDITIONING trains a person/thing.
Conceptual Metaphor
TRAINING IS SHAPING (clay); LEARNING IS PROGRAMMING (a computer); INFLUENCE IS A FORCE (molding behavior).
Practice
Quiz
In psychology, what does 'operant conditioning' primarily involve?