DictionaryAI

shopping

USSHAH-ping/ˈʃɑpɪŋ/UKSHO-ping/ˈʃɒpɪŋ/

5 meanings of shopping

Practice

  1. 1
    act of buyingnoununcountable
    The act of buying things, or looking for things to buy.

    Like walking around a store and picking what you want to take home.

    She finished all her shopping before lunch.

    Online shopping has become very popular over the last ten years.

    UsageSay go shopping (not incorrect: go to shopping) or do the shopping.

    Similarbuying, purchasing

    Note
  2. 2
    places to buynoununcountable
    All the stores and goods in an area where people can go to buy things.

    This town has great shopping near the harbor.

    The mall offers some of the best shopping in the region.

    UsageSay great shopping or good shopping, without a.

    Similarretail, stores

  3. 3
    buying (doing now)verb
    Present participle of shop. Use this -ing form for an action that is going on.

    She is shopping for a birthday gift right now.

    We were shopping all afternoon and missed lunch.

    UsageSay shopping for a thing and shopping at a store.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    bought goodsnounUKuncountable
    Goods that someone has just bought, often food from a store.

    She carried the shopping in from the car.

    Put the shopping away before the milk goes bad.

    UsageSay bags of shopping (not incorrect: shoppings).

    Similargroceries, purchases

    Note
  2. 5
    noun
    The act of sending a machine into a workshop for major repairs or rebuilding.

shopping is a form of shop

shop, verb: To look at things in stores or online, usually because you want to buy them. Full entry

Forms
shopshops he/she/itshopping -ing formshopped past tense, past participle
Spelling
shop → shopping: double the p, add -ing

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of shopping apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From the word "shop" plus "-ing".

Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 1 fact