English Reference

Word

hailing

Phoneticshail·ing

US/ˈheɪɫɪŋ/

UK/hˈeɪlɪŋ/

Definition

v. calling out to get someone's attention, like a taxi driver, or coming from a specific place. It also describes small balls of ice falling from the sky.

v. signalling to a vehicle to stop or calling out to attract attention; also refers to originating from a place or the falling of frozen rain. Present participle form of 'hail'.

Examples

“She is hailing a taxi on the busy street corner.”

“The local newspaper is hailing the young scientist as a hero for her recent breakthrough in renewable energy.”

“While the storm was hailing outside, the delegates were hailing from all corners of the globe to attend the international summit on climate change and urban development.”

Examples

simple

“She is hailing a taxi on the busy street corner.”

contextual

“The local newspaper is hailing the young scientist as a hero for her recent breakthrough in renewable energy.”

complex

“While the storm was hailing outside, the delegates were hailing from all corners of the globe to attend the international summit on climate change and urban development.”

Usage

When used to mean 'originating from', it is almost always followed by the preposition 'from'.

Pitfall

He is hailing to a taxi.

He is hailing a taxi.

When used to mean 'signalling for a vehicle', the verb is transitive and does not require a preposition.

Real-World Examples

“This week I became the first British journalist to travel as a customer in a self-driving Uber after hailing one via the app.”
BBC News · 2 Sept 2026
“Q: Is hailing a taxi from the street safe?”
The Local · 12 Aug 2026

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference