shopping: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
A1Neutral to Informal
Quick answer
What does “shopping” mean?
The activity of visiting shops and buying goods or services.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The activity of visiting shops and buying goods or services.
Can refer to a quantity of goods purchased, the process of evaluating options or browsing before purchase, or, as a modifier, relates to places, activities, or habits associated with buying goods (e.g., shopping centre).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. The phrase 'to do the shopping' is more common in British English for the regular task of buying food. In American English, 'go grocery shopping' is more specific. Compound terms like 'shopping trolley' (UK) vs. 'shopping cart' (US).
Connotations
Largely identical. The term is culturally central in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely high and comparable in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “shopping” in a Sentence
go shoppingdo the/some shoppingbe shopping for sthtake sb shoppingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “shopping” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- I need to shop for a new coat.
- She shops at the local market every Saturday.
American English
- We shopped for groceries after work.
- He's shopping around for the best mortgage rate.
adverb
British English
- This is not used.
- N/A
American English
- This is not used.
- N/A
adjective
British English
- Take a shopping bag to the high street.
- The new shopping precinct is very busy.
American English
- We parked in the shopping plaza.
- Her shopping list was very long.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to consumer activity, e.g., 'Online shopping has disrupted traditional retail.'
Academic
Used in sociological or economic studies of consumer behaviour.
Everyday
Ubiquitous. The most common context.
Technical
In computing: 'comparison shopping bots'; in commerce: 'shopping basket analysis'.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “shopping”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “shopping”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “shopping”
- *I love to make shopping. (Correct: I love to go/do shopping.)
- *I bought a new shopping. (Correct: I did some shopping / I bought some new things.)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Shopping' is primarily a gerund (a noun formed from a verb). The base verb is 'to shop'. We say 'go shopping' or 'do the shopping'.
'Shopping' is the general activity. 'Going shopping' implies the action of travelling to shops to perform the activity. They are often interchangeable, but 'going' adds the sense of movement or departure.
Yes, but only informally to mean 'the groceries/goods you have bought', e.g., 'Help me bring in the shopping from the car.' It is not used for the activity itself (not '*I did a shopping').
It is the activity of looking at goods in shop windows or browsing in stores without any immediate intention to buy anything. It's often done for pleasure or to plan future purchases.
The activity of visiting shops and buying goods or services.
Shopping is usually neutral to informal in register.
Shopping: in British English it is pronounced /ˈʃɒpɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈʃɑːpɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “window shopping (browsing without buying)”
- “shop till you drop (shop for a very long time)”
- “a shopping list of demands (a long list of requests)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine the sound of coins dropping into a shop's till: 'SHOP-ping'.
Conceptual Metaphor
SHOPPING IS A JOURNEY (go shopping, shopping trip), SHOPPING IS HUNTING (bag a bargain, hunt for deals).
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase describes looking at items in shops without intending to buy?