gardening

1 of 2

noun

gar·​den·​ing ˈgär-də-niŋ How to pronounce gardening (audio)
ˈgärd-niŋ
Synonyms of gardeningnext
: the act, activity, or pastime of planning and cultivating gardens
… America's number-one leisure pursuit remains the gentle, slow-going, idyllic activity of gardening.—Margaret Langstaff
… there is no shortage this spring of slick and glossy books on gardening that are long on toothsome photography and short of thoughtful text …—Allen Lacy
Halide lamps are the most popular source of white light available for indoor gardening, providing the best light spectrum for all stages of plant growth.—Laura L. Kramer
—often used before another noun
gardening gloves
gardening tools

gardening

2 of 2

present participle of garden entry 2

Examples of gardening in a Sentence

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
Gulf News describes young people embracing sourdough baking alongside knitting, embroidery, gardening and sewing as part of grandmacore. — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026 Now in its 26th year, the report features a comprehensive analysis of emerging trends and shifts in the gardening world. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 3 Sep. 2026 Each lockable box has a hydraulic system engineered for smooth daily operation and a roomy interior that provides ample storage for your patio cushions, gardening gear, toys, or outdoor entertaining essentials. — Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026 While your ideal neighbor might have been someone who also enjoyed gardening and other quiet activities, that wasn’t a guarantee. — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gardening

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gardening was in the 15th century

Rhymes for gardening

See All Rhymes for gardening

Browse Nearby Words

gardenia
gardening
gardenize
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gardening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gardening. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on gardening

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gardening

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gist

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All