1
: the act of reading
2
a
: material read or for reading
b
: extent of material read
3
a
: a particular version
b
: data indicated by an instrument
4
a
: a particular interpretation of something (such as a law)
b
: a particular performance of something (such as a musical work)
5
: an indication of a certain state of affairs
a study to get some reading of shoppers' preferences
Synonyms
Examples of reading in a Sentence
The family attended the reading of her will.
The speech ended with a reading from his latest novel.
After several readings, I finally understood the meaning of the poem.
He needs help in reading.
The teacher gave us a list of books for further reading on the subject.
He has done a lot of reading on this subject.
The reading for today is about human cloning.
Moby-Dick is required reading for any scholar of 19th-century American literature.
The pastor selected a reading for tonight's service.
Recent Examples on the Web
This continues a downward trend since 2012, marking the lowest reading performance for this age group in decades.
—
Thomas Howell, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
Students scored significantly worse on national reading tests last year than in 2022.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2025
And on Monday, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York survey showed consumers expect inflation over the next five years to rise to 3%, the highest reading since May.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 11 Feb. 2025
Summer camps can protect against learning loss (especially in reading) while school is out.
—Danielle Barreras, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for reading 
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.
Thomas Howell, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
Students scored significantly worse on national reading tests last year than in 2022.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2025
And on Monday, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York survey showed consumers expect inflation over the next five years to rise to 3%, the highest reading since May.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 11 Feb. 2025
Summer camps can protect against learning loss (especially in reading) while school is out.
—Danielle Barreras, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for reading
Articles Related to reading
Dictionary Entries Near reading
Cite this Entry
“Reading.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reading. Accessed 18 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationGeographical Definition
Reading
geographical name
Read·ing
ˈre-diŋ 
1
town in eastern Massachusetts north of Boston population 24,747
2
city on the Schuylkill River in southeastern Pennsylvania population 88,082
3
town on the Thames River in southern England that is the capital of Berkshire population 219,000
Biographical Definition
Reading
biographical name
Read·ing
ˈre-diŋ
1st Marquis of 1860-1935 Rufus Daniel Isaacs British statesman; viceroy of India (1921-26)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share