What does "pointing" mean?
The action of the verb to point.
Pointing
/ˈpɔɪntɪŋ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The action of the verb to point.
- Grammar: pointing is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: characterization, cue, cursor control, demonstrative.
- Useful contrasts: conceal, concealment, disprove.
- Usage evidence: I thought the little boy who was staring and pointing at the foreigner was very rude.
How to use "pointing"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pointing" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pointing" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pointing" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pointing" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pointing" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "characterization" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pointing", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The action of the verb to point. countable, uncountable
"For the sake of convenience, we may call these pointings or signifyings the secondary phase of meaning."
- 2 The filling of joints in brickwork or masonry with mortar. countable, uncountable
"The necessary works were extensive and included replacing missing and damaged slates and other roof repairs (in order to make the building watertight), pointing and drainpipe replacement, and extensive replacement of rotten floorboarding."
- 3 Mortar that has been placed between bricks to fill the gap. collective, countable, proscribed, singular, sometimes, uncountable, usually
- 4 The act or art of punctuating; punctuation. countable, uncountable
- 5 The rubbing off of the point of the wheat grain in the first process of high milling. countable, uncountable
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 The act or process of measuring, at the various distances from the surface of a block of marble, the surface of a future piece of statuary; also, a process used in cutting the statue from the artist's model. countable, uncountable
- 7 In Anglican chant:; The practice of placing metrical marks in a text (typically a psalm), which indicate the syllables on which the chant should progress to the next note, as well as features such as pauses. uncountable
- 8 In Anglican chant:; A particular arrangement of such marks within a given text. countable
"Psalm pointings sometimes differ between psalters."
- 9 Synonym of nikud. countable, uncountable
"In this chapter, for any word from the Hebrew component of Yiddish, the spelling of the corresponding Hebrew etymon is given, with the diacritical signs corresponding to its vowels according to the Tiberian pointing."
Verb
- 1 present participle and gerund of point form-of, gerund, participle, present
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"I thought the little boy who was staring and pointing at the foreigner was very rude."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pointing"?
Common synonyms include: characterization, cue, cursor control, demonstrative, demonstrative phrase, demonstrative word.
How do you use "pointing" in a sentence?
I thought the little boy who was staring and pointing at the foreigner was very rude.
How do you pronounce "pointing"?
Pronounced /ˈpɔɪntɪŋ/.
Etymology
From point + -ing.