What does "expressing" mean?

1. (showing feelings or ideas) showing what you think or feel using words, art, or your face. 2. (biology/genetics) describing a gene that is active and doing its job in the body.

How do you use "expressing"?

Often followed by a noun phrase or a 'that' clause. Used as an attributive adjective before a noun like 'gene' or 'cell'.

expressing

v. · adj.

US //ɪksˈpɹɛsɪŋ// UK //ɛkspɹˈɛsɪŋ// ex·press·ing

1 showing feelings or ideas (v.)
B1 Intermediate

showing what you think or feel using words, art, or your face.

the act of communicating a thought, feeling, or idea through verbal or non-verbal means.

Example

She had trouble expressing her anger in a healthy way.

Example

Expressing complex philosophical ideas in simple language is a skill that many academics struggle to master during their early careers.

Usage

Often followed by a noun phrase or a 'that' clause.

Teacher's tip

Remind students that this is the '-ing' form of 'express'; it can be a continuous verb or a gerund (noun).
- hiding
- suppressing
2 biology/genetics (adj.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Science

describing a gene that is active and doing its job in the body.

relating to the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product.

Example

The scientists studied the expressing genes to see how the medicine worked.

Example

The research team identified several expressing sequences that appeared to correlate with the plant's increased resistance to drought conditions.

Usage

Used as an attributive adjective before a noun like 'gene' or 'cell'.

Teacher's tip

This is a highly specialized sense used in genetics; general learners will likely never encounter it outside of academic science.
- active
- manifesting
- silent
- repressed

Last updated June 20, 2026