adjective
Common
matching
MAT-shihng
Matching (adjective) means sharing the same design, color, or pattern as something else. Example: “I bought matching curtains and cushions for the living room.”
adjective
1
Sharing the same design, color, or pattern as something else.
"We bought a new sofa and matching armchairs."
"I bought matching curtains and cushions for the living room."
"The twins arrived at school in matching raincoats."
"They wore matching outfits to the party."
noun
1
The process of pairing things or people that suit each other.
"Online dating apps rely on the matching of people with similar interests."
"Matching donors to patients is careful work in a transplant programme."
"The recruiter's job is matching candidates to open roles."
How to use matching
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBeing the same as, or paired suitably with, something else — or the act of pairing things up.
Common pairings
matching set
matching outfits
job matching
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like matching.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- matchings
- Comparative
- better matching
- Superlative
- best matching
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I bought _____ curtains and cushions for the living room.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for matching
See all rhymes for matching →Frequently asked questions
What does “matching” mean?
The word “matching” means sharing the same design, color, or pattern as something else. In plain terms, being the same as, or paired suitably with, something else — or the act of pairing things up.
How do you pronounce “matching”?
“Matching” is pronounced MAT-shihng (/ˈmæt͡ʃɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “matching” in a sentence?
Here is “matching” used in a sentence: “They wore matching outfits to the party.”
What part of speech is “matching”?
Depending on how it is used, “matching” can be an adjective and a noun.
Is “matching” a common word?
“Matching” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “matching” have?
“Matching” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: sharing the same design, color, or pattern as something else.
What is the difference between matching and similar?
Matching means sharing the same design, colour, or pattern as something else, implying a deliberate pair or set. Similar simply means alike in some respects, without the sense of belonging together as a coordinated pair.
When should you use matching as a noun rather than an adjective?
Use the adjective matching to describe items that share the same design, as in matching outfits. Use the noun matching for the process of pairing things or people that suit each other, as in the matching of donors and recipients.
What words commonly go with matching?
As an adjective, matching often describes sets of items such as matching outfits, matching furniture, or a matching set. As a noun it appears in phrases like pattern matching and the matching process.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include matching:
