smoking
SMOH-kihng
Smoking (noun) means the act of inhaling and exhaling smoke from tobacco or another substance. Example: “Smoking is banned inside most restaurants now.”
noun
1
The act of inhaling and exhaling smoke from tobacco or another substance.
"Smoking is banned inside most restaurants now."
"Smoking near the petrol pumps is strictly forbidden."
"He gave up smoking last year and feels much healthier."
adjective
1
Giving off smoke.
"The smoking wreckage was all that remained of the car."
"A smoking pan on the cooker set off the alarm."
"The smoking chimney showed that someone was home."
2
(informal) Very attractive.
"Everyone agreed the lead singer looked absolutely smoking on stage last night."
"That is a smoking outfit, and you will turn heads at the wedding."
"She looked smoking in that red dress."
How to use smoking
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe habit or act of inhaling burning tobacco smoke, or (adjective) giving off smoke — or, informally, extremely attractive.
Common pairings
quit smoking
no smoking
smoking hot
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Word forms
- Plural
- smokings
- Comparative
- more smoking
- Superlative
- most smoking
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_____ is banned inside most restaurants now.
Etymology
From smoke plus -ing.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for smoking
See all rhymes for smoking →Frequently asked questions
What does “smoking” mean?
The word “smoking” means the act of inhaling and exhaling smoke from tobacco or another substance. In plain terms, the habit or act of inhaling burning tobacco smoke, or (adjective) giving off smoke — or, informally, extremely attractive.
How do you pronounce “smoking”?
“Smoking” is pronounced SMOH-kihng (/ˈsmoʊkɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “smoking” in a sentence?
Here is “smoking” used in a sentence: “Smoking is banned inside most restaurants now.”
What part of speech is “smoking”?
Depending on how it is used, “smoking” can be a noun and an adjective.
Is “smoking” a common word?
“Smoking” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “smoking” have?
“Smoking” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act of inhaling and exhaling smoke from tobacco or another substance.
Is smoking harmful to health?
Yes. Inhaling smoke from tobacco exposes the lungs and body to tar, nicotine, and thousands of chemicals, and it is strongly linked to heart disease, lung damage, and cancer. Health authorities worldwide treat it as a leading preventable cause of illness, which is why quitting is so widely encouraged.
What is the difference between smoking and vaping?
Smoking burns tobacco and produces smoke that you inhale, releasing tar and combustion by-products. Vaping heats a liquid into an aerosol without burning, so it avoids some of those by-products. Both can deliver nicotine and carry health concerns, but the key distinction is combustion: smoking burns, while vaping does not.
What are the different types of smoking?
Common forms include cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and water pipes such as hookah or shisha, and people also smoke substances other than tobacco. Terms also distinguish active smoking, where a person inhales directly, from passive or secondhand smoking, where others breathe in the smoke drifting around them.
What is passive smoking?
Passive smoking, also called secondhand smoking, is breathing in smoke released by someone else's cigarette or exhaled by a smoker nearby. Even without smoking yourself, you take in many of the same harmful chemicals, which is why smoke-free rules exist in workplaces, restaurants, and other public spaces.
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