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
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
According to the Nation’s Report Card, a biannual assessment of math and reading administered to students in every state, Illinois needs to commit to more rigorous standards, not weaken them.
—
Bruce Rauner, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
His vision and passing range set the tempo for the team, while his physical presence and reading of the game help City pin opponents in and prevent counter-attacks.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 7 June 2025
For full daily and monthly horoscopes as well as expert readings, see our full Horoscopes experience.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 7 June 2025
But when Imperioli’s favorite writer Jack Kerouac, another rising literary star at the time, announced his dedication to the Sutra manuscript, and even pledged to read it every single day after reorganizing it into seven daily readings, Imperioli picked up the book — and never looked back.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for reading
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Bruce Rauner, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
His vision and passing range set the tempo for the team, while his physical presence and reading of the game help City pin opponents in and prevent counter-attacks.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 7 June 2025
For full daily and monthly horoscopes as well as expert readings, see our full Horoscopes experience.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 7 June 2025
But when Imperioli’s favorite writer Jack Kerouac, another rising literary star at the time, announced his dedication to the Sutra manuscript, and even pledged to read it every single day after reorganizing it into seven daily readings, Imperioli picked up the book — and never looked back.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for reading
Cite this Entry
“Reading.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reading. Accessed 14 Jun. 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)
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