ENGLISH
REFERENCE

commenting

v. · n.
US //ˈkɑmɛntɪŋ// UK //kˈɒmɛntɪŋ// com·ment·ing
  1. 1 giving an opinion (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    expressing an opinion or reaction about something you have seen or heard.

    expressing a verbal or written opinion or reaction. Intransitive, typically taking the preposition 'on'.

    Example

    The reporter was commenting on the new law during the live broadcast.

    Example

    Several analysts were commenting on the sudden market shift, attempting to reassure investors that the volatility was merely a temporary correction.

    Usage

    Usually followed by the preposition 'on'.
    Pitfall
    She was commenting the news.
    She was commenting on the news.

    In English, you usually comment 'on' or 'about' something; you do not comment the thing directly.

  2. 2 the act of writing remarks (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the activity of writing notes or opinions, especially on social media or in a document.

    the act of making remarks or providing a commentary. Often used in the context of digital interaction or textual analysis.

    Example

    The constant commenting on his post made him decide to turn off notifications.

    Example

    The professor noted that the student's commenting in the margins of the manuscript showed a deep engagement with the primary source material.
  3. 3 explaining code (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Computing

    adding notes to computer code so that other people can understand how it works.

    placing explanatory text within computer source code that is ignored by the compiler or interpreter.

    Example

    You should spend more time commenting your code so your teammates can follow it.

    Example

    The lead developer insisted on commenting every function thoroughly to ensure the legacy system remained maintainable for future engineers.

    Usage

    In this technical sense, the verb is often transitive, taking the code itself as the object.

Last updated June 20, 2026