styling

1 of 2

present participle of style entry 2

styling

2 of 2

noun

styl·​ing ˈstī-liŋ How to pronounce styling (audio)
plural stylings
1
: the way in which something is styled
clothing with classic styling
When it came time to redesign the compact Dakota, Dodge cleverly emulated the aggressive styling of its big, hot-selling Ram pickup.Consumer Reports
… Michael Jackson's sinuously breathy, often dreamy vocal stylings are prominent on only two or three of the eight selections.Robert Palmer
2
: hairstyling
did all of the styling and makeup for the movie
often used before another noun
styling gels
styling tools

Examples of styling in a Sentence

Noun a car with sleek new styling
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
My trial run reminded me that a good fit and authentic styling are key to trying unfamiliar looks, regardless of whether the clothing comes from a hip designer or a mass-market retailer. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 29 May 2025 Arrival Suit Brigitte Macron opted for suited styling upon arrival to Indonesia on Tuesday. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 29 May 2025 The tailored collar brings polo styling to a racer-back top. Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025 The result of her styling was energetic, colorful, and ideal for a day at the race track. Luz García, Glamour, 26 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for styling

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of styling was in 1899

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Styling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/styling. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on styling

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!