hooping

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The activity of spinning a large ring around your waist, arms or neck for exercise or performance; hula hooping.

   Grammar: Not used with an or a plural: Hooping is great exercise.

   Patterns

   • take up hooping
   • hooping class

   Hooping has become a popular way to work the core muscles.

   She teaches a hooping class at the community center on Saturdays.

2. 2noununcountableinformalAmerican

   The game of basketball, especially when played casually; shooting baskets.

   Grammar: Used without an article: They spent the afternoon hooping.

   Patterns

   • go hooping
   • play hooping

   We went hooping at the park after school.

   His weekends are all about hooping with his cousins.

3. 3verbintransitiveinformal

   The -ing form of hoop: playing basketball casually, or fastening something with hoops.

   Grammar: As a progressive verb it takes no object: They are hooping outside.

   Patterns

   • be hooping

   The kids are hooping in the driveway.

   Are you still hooping on Thursday nights?

Common combinations

hooping class

The gym added a hooping class.

go hooping

Let's go hooping after lunch.

hooping routine

Her hooping routine uses glowing hoops.

hooping workout

A hooping workout burns a lot of calories.

Synonyms and how they differ

hula hooping

Hula hooping is the full name for the waist-spinning activity, while hooping is a shorter, more casual version often used by enthusiasts.

shooting hoops

Shooting hoops means practicing or playing basketball loosely, and is a fixed phrase, unlike hooping.

Word family

hoop noun

a ring-shaped object, or a basketball goal

hooper noun

a person who hoops, or a basketball player in slang

Commonly confused: hooping or hoping?

Practice

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