gerund / present participle verb
Speaking to someone by telephone.
I am calling you later today.
She is calling the doctor now.
American English
How to pronounce calling
verb · nounA1Very common word
KAWlihng
/ˈkʰɔ.lɪŋ/
2 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
Form of call
Speaking to someone by telephone.
What to listen for
In American English, “calling” usually sounds like /ˈkɔlɪŋ/. In some accents, especially those that pronounce “cot” and “caught” alike, you may also hear /ˈkɑlɪŋ/.
usual pronunciation/ˈkʰɔ.lɪŋ/
heard in some American accents/ˈkʰɑ.lɪŋ/
Meanings & examples
gerund / present participle verb
Giving a person or thing a name, or using a particular name for it.
They are calling the baby Emma.
People are calling the plan a mistake.
gerund / present participle verb
Speaking or shouting loudly to get someone's attention or ask them to come.
She is calling his name from the crowd.
I heard someone calling from outside.
gerund / present participle verb
Officially asking people to come together for a meeting or event.
The mayor is calling a meeting for Friday.
The governor is calling an election.
Good to know
Here, calling means officially arranging a meeting or event, not using a telephone.
Useful expressions
to telephone someone again, especially after they have tried to contact you
I'll call you back after lunch.
to publicly ask for something, or to require something
The job calls for patience.
to cancel a planned event
They called off the game because of rain.