calling

calling — noun

1. a strong, deeply felt wish to spend your life doing a particular type of work, e

1.nounB2
Definition

a strong, deeply felt wish to spend your life doing a particular type of work, especially work that helps others or serves a greater purpose (for instance, becoming a doctor, a teacher, or a religious worker)

Example

Aiko always felt a calling to work with children in need.

calling + to-infinitive

After the earthquake, Ravi discovered his calling as a rescue volunteer.

possessive his/her/their + calling + as

Common collocations
  • find one's calling
  • follow a calling
  • feel a calling
  • a calling to teach
  • a calling to help
Synonyms
  • vocation

    more formal; often used in religious or career-guidance contexts

  • mission

    emphasises a sense of purpose or duty

  • purpose

    broader — can apply to life in general, not only work

Grammar Patterns

calling + to-infinitive

Usage Note

Frequently appears with a possessive (his calling, her calling) or with 'to' + infinitive (a calling to teach). Distinguish from sense 2 — this sense emphasises personal passion and moral drive rather than merely the job title one holds.

Common Mistakes

His calling is a doctor.
He feels a calling to become a doctor.
'calling' is not a direct synonym for 'job'; it refers to the internal sense of purpose, not the occupation label itself.

2. the profession or job that a person does, especially one that requires special t

2.nounB1
Definition

the profession or job that a person does, especially one that requires special training or skill — for example, law, medicine, or engineering

Example

Dr. Okafor chose medicine as his calling at a very young age.

formal register: 'choose X as one's calling'

On the visa application, Tomás was asked to state his calling and years of experience.

formal register: 'state one's calling' on documents

Common collocations
  • one's chosen calling
  • pursue a calling
  • follow a calling
  • enter a calling
Synonyms
  • profession

    the most direct synonym; emphasizes formal training and qualification

  • occupation

    neutral and official-sounding; common in forms and records

  • career

    focuses on the long-term path rather than the current role

  • trade

    implies manual or skilled work rather than academic training

Grammar Patterns

one's + calling

Usage Note

This sense is more formal than everyday words like 'job' or 'career'. It typically appears in writing or formal speech. The meaning here is neutral — it does not carry the strong moral or spiritual weight of sense 1.

Common Mistakes

What is your calling?' (asking in casual conversation).
What do you do for a living?
'calling' in the profession sense sounds overly formal in everyday spoken English.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All five words refer to a person's work, but they differ in tone and scope. 'Calling' (in the profession sense) is the most formal and carries a hint of personal dedication; it appears mainly in writing or formal speech. 'Profession' emphasises advanced training and a recognised body of knowledge — doctors, lawyers, and architects have professions. 'Career' looks at the long-term arc of one's working life. 'Occupation' is the most neutral and official-sounding, favoured on government forms and census surveys. 'Trade' typically refers to skilled manual work such as plumbing, carpentry, or electrical work. For example: 'She entered the legal profession after law school' vs. 'He learned his trade as an apprentice electrician.'

calling ↗profession ↗career ↗occupation ↗trade ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • find one's calling
  • follow a calling
  • pursue a calling
  • one's chosen calling

Prepositions

  • calling in [field/domain]
  • calling as [role]

Etymology

Old NorseOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'calling' comes from the Old English verb 'ceallian' (to call or cry out), which in turn derives from the Old Norse 'kalla' (to call). By the late 1300s, the noun referred to being summoned by God to a religious life. During the Protestant Reformation, the idea expanded to include any honest secular job, since people believed God 'called' them to their earthly work. Over time, that religious flavour weakened, but the sense of a strong inner summons — whether spiritual or personal — remains in sense 1, while sense 2 simply describes the job itself in formal terms.