ENGLISH
REFERENCE

putting

v. · n.
US //ˈpətɪŋ// putting
  1. 1 placing something (v.)
    A1 Beginner

    the action of placing or moving something into a particular position.

    the present participle of 'put', describing the act of placing, moving, or assigning something to a location or state.

    Example

    She is putting her clothes into the suitcase for her holiday.

    Example

    The government is putting a new strategy into effect to address the rising cost of living in urban areas.
    Pitfall
    He is puting the books away.
    He is putting the books away.

    The verb 'put' doubles the final 't' when adding '-ing'.

  2. 2 hitting a golf ball (v.)
    B1 Intermediate Sport

    hitting a golf ball gently across the grass toward the hole.

    the present participle of 'putt', referring to the execution of a short-distance stroke on the green.

    Example

    He spent the afternoon putting on the practice green to improve his short game.

    Example

    After a powerful drive, the champion found herself putting for a birdie to win the tournament.
  3. 3 the act of placing (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of placing something somewhere.

    the gerundial noun referring to the act of placement or installation.

    Example

    The putting of the final stone marked the completion of the wall.

    Example

    The careful putting of these delicate instruments into their cases requires significant patience and precision.
  4. 4 golfing stroke (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Sport

    the action of hitting a golf ball into a hole.

    the act of performing a putt in golf; also used to describe the specific sub-discipline of the sport.

    Example

    Her putting was excellent today, and she didn't miss a single short shot.

    Example

    While his long-range shots were impressive, his inconsistent putting ultimately cost him the lead in the final round.

Etymology 1

From put + -ing.

Etymology 2

From putt + -ing.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Idioms1 entry

Last updated June 19, 2026