# airing

/ˈɛɹɪŋ/ (US) · /ˈeəɹɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/airing
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. ventilation

noun · CEFR B2

the act of letting fresh air into a room or onto clothes to make them clean and dry.

For teachers: 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'.

### 2. public discussion

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of making your ideas or complaints known to other people.

For teachers: 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'.

### 3. broadcasting

noun · CEFR B2

the act of showing a programme on television or playing it on the radio.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The meeting gave everyone a chance for a fair airing of their views.
- After months of private debate, the proposal finally received a public airing in the local newspaper.
- The documentary was scheduled for its first national airing on Tuesday, sparking a renewed discussion about the environmental policies it critiqued.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.