liking: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to formal (less formal than 'fondness', more formal than 'digs')
Quick answer
What does “liking” mean?
A feeling of enjoyment or approval towards someone or something.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A feeling of enjoyment or approval towards someone or something.
Can refer to a person's taste, preference, or fondness for a particular thing; also used to describe the quality that makes something pleasant.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in core meaning or usage. 'Liking' is equally common in both dialects.
Connotations
Slightly more formal in American English, where 'like' (verb) is often used more casually.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in British English corpora, but the difference is minimal.
Grammar
How to Use “liking” in a Sentence
[possessive pronoun] + liking + for + [noun]the + liking + of + [possessive noun]to + [possessive pronoun] + likingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “liking” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- I'm really liking the new series on the BBC.
- She wasn't liking the direction the meeting was taking.
American English
- I'm really liking the new show on Netflix.
- He wasn't liking his chances in the election.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in market research or client relations: 'The product was not to the customers' liking.'
Academic
Used in sociology or psychology to discuss preferences: 'The study examined the development of aesthetic likings.'
Everyday
Casual discussion of preferences: 'He has a liking for action films.'
Technical
Rare in technical contexts; 'preference' or 'affinity' are more common.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “liking”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “liking”
- Using 'liking' as a verb (incorrect: *'I am liking this song.'). This is a common learner error. 'Liking' as a noun is correct.
- Confusing 'liking' with 'like' as a noun meaning 'similar thing'.
- Using without a possessive or article (incorrect: *'She has liking for tea.').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily a noun. While 'liking' can appear as the present participle of the verb 'like' (e.g., 'I am liking this'), its standard, standalone use is as a noun meaning 'fondness' or 'preference'.
'Liking' refers to the feeling of enjoyment or preference itself (e.g., 'his liking for jazz'). 'Like' as a noun usually means 'a similar person or thing' (e.g., 'I've never seen the like') or is used in the plural 'likes' to mean 'things one enjoys' (e.g., 'music and the like').
It is less common and considered less idiomatic than 'have a liking for'. The standard preposition with 'have a liking' is 'for'.
It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It is often used to express a negative or qualified opinion politely (e.g., 'The sauce is a bit too rich for my liking').
A feeling of enjoyment or approval towards someone or something.
Liking: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlaɪ.kɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlaɪ.kɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to one's liking”
- “take a liking to someone/something”
- “for my liking (often used negatively: 'It's too spicy for my liking')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'LIKE' + 'ING' = the state or action of liking something. It's the noun form of the feeling.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIKING IS A POSSESSION (have a liking), LIKING IS A JOURNEY (take a liking to), LIKING IS AN ACQUIRED TASTE (develop a liking).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a correct use of the noun 'liking'?