# judging

/ˈdʒədʒɪŋ/ (US) · /dʒˈʌdʒɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/judging
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. forming an opinion

verb · CEFR B1

forming an opinion about someone or something, often based on how they look or act.

For teachers: the process of forming an evaluation or opinion, often used in the continuous aspect to describe ongoing assessment.

- You shouldn't be so quick to start judging people before you even know their names.
- Judging by the dark clouds gathering on the horizon, the hikers decided it would be prudent to seek shelter before the storm broke.

### 2. the act of deciding a winner

noun · CEFR B2

the official process of deciding the winner in a competition or contest.

For teachers: the formal act of adjudication in a competitive context, such as a sporting event or artistic contest.

- The judging for the bake-off will begin once all the cakes have cooled down.
- The judging of the architectural competition took three days, as the panel struggled to reach a consensus on the most sustainable design.

### 3. critical or judgmental

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

showing that you have a negative opinion of someone's behavior.

For teachers: displaying a critical or moralising attitude toward others; often synonymous with 'judgmental'.

- I felt like she was giving me a judging look because of my messy hair.
- He tried to ignore the judging glances from his colleagues after he admitted he hadn't read the mandatory briefing materials.

## Examples

- The judging for the art contest starts at noon.
- After hours of careful judging, the panel finally announced the winner of the baking competition.
- The criteria for the judging were so strict that even the most experienced participants struggled to meet the technical requirements set by the committee.

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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.