Meaning & use
likings
Last updated
“likings” is a form of “liking”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nouncountable
Feelings of enjoyment or preference for someone or something.
Grammar: Countable noun; the singular is 'liking', and the plural 'likings' refers to multiple preferences.
Patterns
- likings for something
- personal likings
- someone's likings
Her likings for spicy food and loud music surprised her new friends.
The menu tries to satisfy everyone's likings, from sweet to savory.
Over the years, his likings have changed from sports to art.
Word forms
| singular | liking |
|---|
Common combinations
- personal likings
- The design was chosen to match the client's personal likings.
- someone's likings
- You can't please everyone's likings at once.
- likings for something
- Children often have strong likings for certain colors.
Synonyms and how they differ
- preferences
- More neutral and often used in formal contexts; 'likings' sounds more emotional and personal.
- tastes
- Often refers to aesthetic or cultural choices, while 'likings' can be about any kind of enjoyment.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: likings or liking?
likings vs liking
The singular 'liking' is much more common and often appears in phrases like 'to someone's liking'. The plural 'likings' is used when talking about several different preferences.
Practice
The chef prepared a variety of dishes to suit all the guests' ______.
Choose one answer.
'Likings' is the correct plural noun meaning multiple preferences. 'Liking' is singular and would not agree with 'all the guests''. 'Likes' is a verb or a noun meaning 'things one likes' but is less formal here. 'Likeness' means similarity, which does not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “likings”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.