# framing

/ˈfɹeɪmɪŋ/ (US) · /fɹˈeɪmɪŋ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. physical structure

noun · CEFR B2

the wooden or metal structure that supports a building or object.

For teachers: the internal supporting structure or framework of a building, vehicle, or object.

- The workers finished the steel framing of the new house before the rain started.
- The architect insisted on timber framing for the extension to ensure it remained consistent with the original seventeenth-century construction.

### 2. mounting a picture

noun · CEFR B2

the act of putting a border around a picture or photograph.

For teachers: the process or style of fitting a decorative or protective border around a visual work.

- Professional framing can be very expensive, but it makes the artwork look much better.
- The gallery chose a minimalist style of framing to ensure that the ornate details of the painting remained the primary focus for viewers.

### 3. presenting an idea

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the way you describe a situation to make people see it in a certain way.

For teachers: the conceptual act of presenting information in a specific context to influence how it is interpreted or evaluated.

- The politician's framing of the tax cut as a 'gift to families' helped it become popular.
- The media's framing of the environmental crisis shifted from a distant scientific concern to an immediate economic threat over the last decade.

Usage: Often used in political or psychological contexts to describe how a narrative is shaped.

Teaching tip: This is a common term in media studies and politics; it suggests that the 'frame' determines what the audience notices and what they ignore.

## Examples

- The politician used clever framing to make the tax look like a gift.
- The media's framing of the protest as a riot changed how the public viewed the activists' demands.
- Sociologists argue that the framing of climate change as an immediate security threat, rather than a distant environmental concern, significantly increases public support for aggressive policy intervention.

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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.