fielding: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal in sports contexts; technical in sports analysis; extended usage in business/politics.
Quick answer
What does “fielding” mean?
The action of stopping, catching, or returning the ball in sports such as cricket or baseball.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The action of stopping, catching, or returning the ball in sports such as cricket or baseball.
The action of dealing with questions, objections, or criticism, especially in a formal or skillful way; also refers to a surname.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'fielding' is overwhelmingly associated with cricket. In the US, it is overwhelmingly associated with baseball. The extended metaphorical meaning is understood in both but may be less frequent.
Connotations
UK: Technical skill, patience, and teamwork (cricket). US: Quick reflexes, agility, and athleticism (baseball).
Frequency
Higher frequency in sports contexts in respective countries. The metaphorical use is slightly more common in UK political/journalistic discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “fielding” in a Sentence
field [OBJ: ball/ question/ call]field [OBJ] from [SOURCE: reporter/batsman/customer]be fielding [OBJ] for [TEAM/ORGANIZATION]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fielding” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The wicket-keeper is fielding close to the stumps.
- The minister will be fielding questions from the press.
American English
- The shortstop was fielding ground balls during practice.
- Our support team is fielding hundreds of customer complaints.
adjective
British English
- He is a fielding specialist.
- The fielding side looked weary.
American English
- Their fielding coach worked on their throwing mechanics.
- A great fielding play saved the game.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The CEO spent the conference call fielding concerns from investors about the new merger.
Academic
The professor was adept at fielding complex questions during her lecture on quantum mechanics.
Everyday
I spent all morning fielding phone calls about the lost cat poster.
Technical
The team's fielding efficiency, measured by their defensive runs saved, has improved dramatically this season.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fielding”
- Using 'fielding' as a base verb (the verb is 'to field').
- Confusing 'fielding' (action) with 'fielder' (person).
- Using 'fielding a question' to mean 'asking a question' (it means answering/handling).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its primary and most concrete meaning is from sports like cricket and baseball, it is commonly used metaphorically to mean handling or dealing with questions, requests, or criticism.
In sports, 'catching' is one specific action within 'fielding.' Fielding includes stopping the ball (with any part of the body), picking it up, and throwing it, not just catching it in the air.
Yes, but attributively (before a noun). For example, 'a fielding error,' 'the fielding side,' 'fielding drills.' It is not used predictively (e.g., 'The player is very fielding' is incorrect).
The vowel in 'field' is a long 'ee' /iː/ sound in both standard British and American English. The main pronunciation difference is in the 'r' sound in other words, but 'fielding' contains no 'r,' so the pronunciations are very similar, with only minor vowel quality differences.
The action of stopping, catching, or returning the ball in sports such as cricket or baseball.
Fielding is usually formal in sports contexts; technical in sports analysis; extended usage in business/politics. in register.
Fielding: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfiːldɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfildɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Fielding a hot one”
- “In the fielding circle”
- “Fielding a tricky question”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a sports FIELD; ING means the action happening there. To FIELD something is to act on it within your area of responsibility.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUESTIONS/CRITICISM ARE PROJECTILES (to be caught/deflected); A SPORTS TEAM IS A BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION (with roles like defending).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'fielding' LEAST likely to be used metaphorically?