Meaning & use
pottering
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“pottering” is a form of “potter”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
noununcountableBritish
The activity of spending time in a relaxed, unhurried way doing small pleasant tasks with no fixed plan.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun: pottering is enjoyable. It is not used with a/an or in the plural.
Patterns
- pottering around
- pottering about
- a bit of pottering
After breakfast, he spent an hour pottering in the garden.
Pottering around the house is her favorite way to relax on Sundays.
A little pottering can clear your mind when you feel stressed.
adjectivebefore a nounBritish
Describing someone who is moving about in a slow, relaxed way, often doing small tasks.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: a pottering gardener. It is not usually used after a verb like 'be pottering' in this sense.
Patterns
- a pottering gardener
- a pottering old man
A pottering neighbor stopped to chat over the fence.
The pottering figure in the yard was her grandfather, checking his roses.
Word forms
| base form | potter |
|---|---|
| third person singular | potters |
| past tense | pottered |
| past participle | pottered |
| -ing form | pottering |
Common combinations
- potter around
- He likes to potter around the kitchen while the radio plays.
- potter about
- We pottered about the town, looking in shop windows.
- spend time pottering
- She spent the afternoon pottering in the garden.
- pottering in the garden
- Pottering in the garden helps him forget his worries.
Synonyms and how they differ
- puttering
- The American English equivalent; use it in US contexts instead of pottering.
- dawdling
- Suggests wasting time or being slow, often with a hint of criticism; pottering is more positive and purposeful in a gentle way.
- tinkering
- Means making small adjustments or repairs, often to machines; pottering is broader and less focused on fixing things.
Opposites
Word family
- potter verb
- To spend time in a relaxed way doing small tasks.
- potterer noun
- A person who potters; someone who enjoys gentle, unhurried activity.
Commonly confused: pottering or potter?
pottering vs potter
Potter can also mean a person who makes pottery. The -ing form pottering is unrelated to that meaning; it comes from the verb meaning to move about slowly.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'pottering' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Pottering describes relaxed, unhurried activity, often followed by 'around' or 'about'. Option 1 is wrong because that meaning of 'potter' is about making pottery, not the -ing form used here. Options 3 and 4 are grammatically incorrect.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pottering”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.