shopping
SHO-pihng
Shopping (noun) means the activity of buying goods, or of browsing for things to buy. Example: “We usually do the weekly shopping on Saturday mornings.”
noun
1
The activity of buying goods, or of browsing for things to buy.
"We usually do the weekly shopping on Saturday mornings."
"Christmas shopping gets more stressful every year."
"Online shopping saves me a lot of time on busy weekdays."
2
Items that have just been bought.
"She left her shopping in the boot of the car."
"He carried the heavy shopping up three flights of stairs."
"Put the shopping away before the frozen food melts."
How to use shopping
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBuying things, or the things you've just bought.
Common pairings
do the shopping
grocery shopping
shopping list
shopping spree
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Word forms
- Plural
- shoppings
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We usually do the weekly _____ on Saturday mornings.
Etymology
By surface analysis, this is shop + -ing.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for shopping
See all rhymes for shopping →Frequently asked questions
What does “shopping” mean?
The word “shopping” means the activity of buying goods, or of browsing for things to buy. In plain terms, buying things, or the things you've just bought.
How do you pronounce “shopping”?
“Shopping” is pronounced SHO-pihng (/ˈʃɑpɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “shopping” in a sentence?
Here is “shopping” used in a sentence: “We usually do the weekly shopping on Saturday mornings.”
What part of speech is “shopping”?
“Shopping” is a noun.
Is “shopping” a common word?
“Shopping” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “shopping” have?
“Shopping” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the activity of buying goods, or of browsing for things to buy.
What is the difference between shopping and browsing?
Shopping is the broad activity of buying goods, or looking with the intention of buying. Browsing means looking casually without necessarily meaning to buy anything. You can browse the shops for fun and leave empty-handed, but shopping usually carries at least the possibility, or the aim, of an actual purchase.
What are the different types of shopping?
Common types include grocery shopping, clothes shopping, online shopping, window shopping, and comparison shopping. There is also impulse shopping, done on a whim, and so-called retail therapy, shopping mainly for pleasure or comfort. Each differs in purpose, planning, and whether it happens in a physical shop or online.
What is window shopping?
Window shopping means looking at goods displayed in shop windows or stores without actually buying anything. The pleasure comes from browsing, comparing, and imagining rather than spending. The phrase dates from the days when high-street shops relied on eye-catching window displays to tempt passers-by inside, whether or not they had money to spend.
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