Word
airing
Phoneticsair·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɛɹɪŋ/
UK/ˈeəɹɪŋ/
Definitions
01ventilation
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the act of letting fresh air into a room or onto clothes to make them clean and dry.
n. the exposure of a space or fabric to fresh air for the purpose of ventilation, freshening, or drying.
“The guest bedroom smells a bit dusty and needs a good airing before they arrive.”
“After months in storage, the winter coats required a thorough airing in the garden to remove the lingering scent of mothballs.”
Usage
Often used with the verb 'give'.
Synonyms
02public discussion
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. the act of making your ideas or complaints known to other people.
n. the public expression or disclosure of opinions, grievances, or ideas for the purpose of debate.
“The meeting gave everyone a chance for an airing of their views on the new office rules.”
“The conference provided a necessary airing of controversial theories that had previously been confined to private academic circles.”
Usage
Commonly appears in the phrase 'an airing of views' or 'an airing of grievances'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03broadcasting
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the act of showing a programme on television or playing it on the radio.
n. the act of broadcasting a television or radio programme to an audience.
“The documentary is getting its first airing on national television tonight.”
“Despite the film's critical success, it received only one late-night airing before being pulled from the schedule entirely.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“William has never been able to forgive what he sees as Harry's public airing of the family fallout through his memoir Spare and their interview with Oprah Winfrey.” “Backed by a live band, most of her new album gets an airing.” Etymology
From air (“substance constituting Earth’s atmosphere”, noun) and air (“to bring (something) into contact with the air; to let fresh air into (a place); to make public (an opinion, etc.); to broadcast (something)”, verb) + -ing (suffix forming nouns or noun-like terms from verbs, denoting acts of doing something, actions, or the embodiment of action; and forming the present participles of verbs).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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