CALLING Synonyms: 346 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'calling' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of calling are business , employment , métier , occupation , pursuit , and work . While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession. // the ministry seemed my true calling

Q: Where would 'business' be a reasonable alternative to 'calling'?

While in some cases nearly identical to calling , business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs. // the business of managing a hotel

Q: In what contexts can 'employment' take the place of 'calling'?

The words employment and calling can be used in similar contexts, but employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer. // your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

Q: When might 'métier' be a better fit than 'calling'?

The synonyms métier and calling are sometimes interchangeable, but métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted. // acting was my one and only métier

Q: When can 'occupation' be used instead of 'calling'?

The meanings of occupation and calling largely overlap; however, occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training. // his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

Q: When is it sensible to use 'pursuit' instead of 'calling'?

Although the words pursuit and calling have much in common, pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest. // her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

Q: When would 'work' be a good substitute for 'calling'?

While the synonyms work and calling are close in meaning, work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not. // her work as a hospital volunteer

calling 1 of 2

noun

ˈkȯ-liŋ

Definition of calling

as in cancellation

the act of putting an end to something planned or previously agreed to the calling of the match was a disappointment to both players

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in profession

the activity by which one regularly makes a living I think my true calling will be as a commercial artist

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

calling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of call

as in shouting

to speak so as to be heard at a distance we could hear someone calling for help from the other side of the wall

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dialing

to make a telephone call to use this cell phone to call me if there's an emergency

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in visiting

to make a brief visit the hospital posts the hours during which friends and relatives may call

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as in canceling

to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to) the game was called on account of rain

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in considering

to think of in a particular way I wouldn't quite call that cheating, but it's not entirely ethical either

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as in crying

to utter one's distinctive animal sound the dog called whenever it flushed a quail

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as in summoning

to bring together in assembly by or as if by command called all the night workers in for a meeting

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in estimating

to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement let's call that five feet for now, and we'll measure it out later

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in asking

to demand or request the presence or service of rushed to call a tow truck operator when the car broke down

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in naming

to give a name to we've decided to call the kitten "Molly"

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as in ordering

to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority the union president is refusing to call a strike

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in predicting

to tell of or describe beforehand somehow the political pundit called the race results within a mere percentage point

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun calling differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of calling are business, employment, métier, occupation, pursuit, and work. While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

Where would business be a reasonable alternative to calling?

While in some cases nearly identical to calling, business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

In what contexts can employment take the place of calling?

The words employment and calling can be used in similar contexts, but employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

When might métier be a better fit than calling?

The synonyms métier and calling are sometimes interchangeable, but métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

When can occupation be used instead of calling?

The meanings of occupation and calling largely overlap; however, occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

When is it sensible to use pursuit instead of calling?

Although the words pursuit and calling have much in common, pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

When would work be a good substitute for calling?

While the synonyms work and calling are close in meaning, work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of calling

Noun

The touch finally featured a front-facing camera, allowing FaceTime video calling. — Eric Griffith, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026 But the approach in Utah relies on farms reporting cases or the public calling in reports of dead birds in the area. — Nat Lash, ProPublica, 23 Oct. 2026

Verb

The viral video calling data centers a menace was uploaded to a data center. — Zev Laine, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 By his own account, the call went from early to wrong to decent, and now some of his clients are calling it crowded. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for calling

Recent Examples of Synonyms for calling

Noun

Airport attacks in the capital city of Riyadh led to multiple fatalities, flight cancellations and property damage, while facilities belonging to oil giant Saudi Aramco were targeted last week.

— Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
High tides over the summer resulted in train cancellations and emergency repairs to the rail line.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of cancellation

Noun

The clientele here is notably upscale, in-the-know, and coming from all fields of business, with an emphasis on creative professions and the luxury fashion world.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Schupbach also presented the Museum at FIT Student Award to Chloe LaBel, an art history and museum professions student at FIT, Class of 2027.

— Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of profession

Verb

Combat sequences, set in the Pacific theater and filmed in Australia, look expansive and authentic, weaving around hundreds of soldiers running and shouting and shooting at once.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
The most common type was verbal abuse, including shouting or swearing, which 34% of retail respondents experienced.

— Andrew Adam Newman, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of shouting

Verb

For women already in the practice, that means dialing down intensity, logging responses and resisting the pressure to match a partner’s or trainer’s cold tolerance.

— Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
Refrigerators in French supermarkets are being targeted by remote hackers, who are dialing up their temperature to more than 120 degrees.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of dialing

Verb

The year before, Milton Reynolds had discovered the pen while visiting Buenos Aires, and rushed home to create his own version, the Reynolds Rocket, which hit stores on October 29, 1945.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
Simply visiting a phishing page does not automatically mean your information was stolen.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of visiting

Verb

No one could’ve blamed the grieving community for canceling the game.

— Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Oct. 2026
Hours earlier, the 77-year-old wrestling Hall of Famer apologized on social media site X for canceling a weekend appearance at the Washington State Horror Con in Puyallup.

— Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of canceling

Verb

Some employers are considering whether to help their staffers buy GLP-1 drugs for weight loss directly from the manufacturers or other partners, such as Costco’s pharmacy, said Matthew Rae, associate director at KFF.

— Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
Excellent soundproofing of the walls and windows is a huge plus, especially considering the hotel's central location.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of considering

Browse Nearby Words

call in

calling

calling down

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“Calling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calling. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of calling

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verb

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Cite this Entry

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