riding

1 of 4

noun (1)

rid·​ing ˈrī-diŋ How to pronounce riding (audio)
Synonyms of ridingnext
: the action or state of one that rides

riding

2 of 4

adjective

1
: used for or when riding
a riding horse
riding boots
2
: operated by a rider
a riding mower

riding

3 of 4

noun (2)

ri·​ding ˈrī-diŋ How to pronounce riding (audio)
1
: one of the three administrative jurisdictions into which Yorkshire, England, was formerly divided
2
: an administrative jurisdiction or electoral district in a British dominion (such as Canada)

riding

4 of 4

present participle of ride entry 1

Examples of riding 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
My last stop before the evening's bull riding is The Best Hat store. — Christine Lennon, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026 Getting an essentially super-flat riding machine to include a comfortable ride isn’t an easy engineering feat, so props to the Polaris team for an improvement that makes the Slingshot almost civilized. — William Roberson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Today the program, led by Lucinda Vette, extends far beyond riding and taps deeply into the way the animals respond to the feelings and intentions of the Miraval participants. — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026 Shimano has included two settings, one for general riding and one for hauling cargo or passengers. — ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for riding

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Middle English -redying or trithing, alteration of Old English *thriding, from Old Norse thrithjungr third part, from thrithi third; akin to Old English thridda third — more at third entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of riding was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing riding

Rhymes for riding

See All Rhymes for riding

Browse Nearby Words

ridiculousness
riding
riding bitts
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Riding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riding. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

riding

adjective
rid·​ing
ˈrīd-iŋ
1
: used for or when riding
riding boots
2
: operated by a rider
a riding mower

More from Merriam-Webster on riding

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for riding

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about riding

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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