Meaning & use
studying
Last updated
“studying” is a form of “study”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
Spending time learning about a subject by reading, practicing and reviewing.
Grammar: Can take an object or stand alone: studying chemistry; she is studying.
Patterns
- studying for something
- studying something at somewhere
She is studying for her driving test.
He spent the weekend studying chemistry.
They are studying at the library tonight.
verbtransitive
Looking at something carefully in order to understand it.
Grammar: Takes an object: studying the map.
Patterns
- studying something closely
The coach was studying the other team's tactics.
Scientists are studying how the glacier moves.
She kept studying his face for clues.
Common combinations
- studying for an exam
- He was up late studying for an exam.
- studying abroad
- She is studying abroad next year.
- studying hard
- They have been studying hard all week.
- studying law
- My cousin is studying law.
- studying the evidence
- The jury is studying the evidence.
Synonyms and how they differ
- learning
- Learning stresses gaining knowledge, whereas studying stresses the effort spent.
- revising
- Revising is British and means going over what you already learned.
- examining
- Examining means looking closely at something, without the sense of learning a subject.
- cramming
- Cramming means studying a lot in a short time, often just before a test.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: studying or studing? studying or studious?
studying vs studing
This is a common misspelling; the y stays before -ing, giving studying.
studying vs studious
Studious describes a person who likes to study; studying is the action itself.
Practice
Which spelling is correct?
Choose one answer.
The y in study stays before -ing, giving studying. It changes to i only before -ed, as in studied.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “studying”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.