# fielding

/ˈfiɫdɪŋ/ (US) · /fˈiːldɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fielding
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. catching/retrieving a ball

noun · CEFR B2

the act of catching or picking up the ball in a game like baseball or cricket.

For teachers: the defensive action of catching, picking up, or returning a ball that has been hit by a batter.

- The team lost the game because their fielding was very poor today.
- The coach spent the entire afternoon session drilling the players on their fielding to ensure they could react quickly to ground balls.

### 3. putting a team in place

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

choosing and putting a team or a candidate into a competition.

For teachers: the act of selecting and deploying a team, candidate, or army for a specific purpose or competition.

- The party is fielding a new candidate for the upcoming local election.
- Despite the injuries, the manager insisted on fielding his strongest possible lineup for the championship final.

## Examples

- The team won because their fielding was excellent.
- The coach spent the entire afternoon session working on the team's fielding to prevent easy runs during the match.
- While the pitcher's performance was dominant, it was the spectacular fielding in the outfield that ultimately preserved the narrow lead during the final inning.

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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.