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

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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

Those tiers include unlimited international calling to select countries (RingEX charges extra for this) and similar AI features (though AI Receptionist and Interaction Insights features are listed as coming soon). — John Brandon, PC Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026 Coachella, Australia, Hawaii, Japan, Idaho, now London’s calling! — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 22 Aug. 2026

Verb

Those are police officers and people up high at CPD, literally calling me, meeting with us, telling us that morale’s at an all-time low. — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, opposed the measure, calling it unconstitutional. — Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for calling

Recent Examples of Synonyms for calling

Noun

In the wake of the attacks, Strahan was one of the players who pushed for the cancellation of that weekend's football games out of respect for those lost.

— Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
But there’s also an active noise cancellation system that uses the new, very thin membrane speakers that JLR developed together with Warwick Audio that are mounted in the seat headrests.

— Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of cancellation

Noun

Hogan, who spends the off-season as a graduate student in fiction writing at the University of Houston, seemed to view smokejumping not only as a profession but as a world view.

— M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Looking at passing citizens reveals flavor text about their professions and backgrounds.

— Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of profession

Verb

Or perhaps, in this case, at roughly 190 mph with the throttle buried and someone shouting into a radio.

— Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Video showed locals draped in Spanish flags, shouting anti-migrant slogans, and singing Spanish songs, torching the camp and throwing migrants’ belongings in the Mediterranean or into bonfires.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of shouting

Verb

The show is leaning into its strengths, dialing up the madcap comedy and overlapping dialogue while keeping the story lines rooted in recognizable rites of passage for young people.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Herkov experienced Florida’s first national championship with Wuerffel throwing touchdowns and Spurrier dialing up plays.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of dialing

Verb

The southern Sinai peninsula is a popular tourist destination, with many travelers visiting the region to snorkel and dive in the Red Sea, the outlet reported.

— Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Poul Thorsen, a research investigator who was working as a visiting scientist at the CDC, was extradited to the United States following 11 years avoiding capture in Denmark, according to federal prosecutors.

— Irene Wright, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of visiting

Verb

Travelers who are considering booking one of these flights can use websites like SkyAccess, which posts available empty leg inventory for flights weeks or months in advance.

— Elliott Harrell, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2026
The goalkeeping department has probably been downgraded, considering the highly promising Trafford left, and was replaced by Geronimo Rulli, a solid backup option at 34 years of age.

— Sam Lee, New York Times, 3 Sep. 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 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of calling

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verb

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Synonyms of calling

noun

verb

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Phrases Containing calling

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