racing

racing — noun

1. the activity or sport of trying to travel fastest over a set distance or course,

1.nounA2
Definition

the activity or sport of trying to travel fastest over a set distance or course, whether on foot, in a vehicle, or on a bicycle or boat

Example

Maeve and her brother watched the racing cars speed around the track.

collocation: racing cars / racing bikes

Every summer, dragon boat racing teams from across Hong Kong compete on the harbour.

Common collocations
  • racing car
  • racing bike
  • racing driver
  • racing team
  • racing circuit
  • drag racing
  • street racing
  • road racing
Synonyms
  • speed contest

    less common; emphasises that speed determines the winner

  • competition

    broader meaning; not limited to speed-based events

  • motor sport

    restricted to vehicle-based racing only

Grammar Patterns

racing + noun (racing car, racing team)

the + noun + of + racing (the sport of racing)

Usage Note

Always uncountable when referring to the sport or activity in general. When used as a modifier ('racing car', 'racing team'), it specifies that the noun relates to competitions of speed.

Common Mistakes

She is very good at race.
She is very good at racing.
The gerund form 'racing' is needed to refer to the activity as a sport or hobby; 'race' as a noun refers to a single event.

2. the sport in which horses ridden by jockeys compete against each other over a se

2.nounB1
Definition

the sport in which horses ridden by jockeys compete against each other over a set distance on a track, with bets often placed on which horse will finish first

Example

Bao visits the racecourse every Saturday to watch the horse racing.

collocation: horse racing / racecourse

Lotte watched the horse racing from the grandstand, cheering as the lead jockey pulled ahead.

Common collocations
  • racing horse
  • racing stable
  • racing season
  • flat racing
  • National Hunt racing
  • race meeting
  • race day
Synonyms
  • the turf

    formal or literary term for horse racing as a sport and industry

  • the sport of kings

    traditional nickname for horse racing, now considered somewhat old-fashioned

  • the races

    informal; refers to a specific horse racing event or meeting

Grammar Patterns

horse + racing

racing + noun (racing horse, racing stable)

Usage Note

In British English, 'racing' used alone without a modifier often implies horse racing by default. In American English, 'horse racing' is more frequently specified. Frequently encountered in compound forms such as 'flat racing' (on level ground) and 'steeplechase' (over jumps).

Common Mistakes

I enjoy race horse.
I enjoy horse racing.
The correct compound order is 'horse racing', not 'race horse' (which refers to the animal itself).

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe events where people or teams try to outperform one another, but they differ in scope and structure. 'Racing' specifically involves speed as the deciding factor — the fastest participant wins. 'Competition' is the broadest term; it covers any situation where people strive to beat others, whether in sports, business, or the arts. 'Contest' is similar but often suggests a more structured event with clear rules and judging, like a beauty contest or a cooking contest. 'Match' typically refers to a single game between two individuals or teams, such as a tennis match or a football match. 'Tournament' describes a series of matches or contests where participants are gradually eliminated until a final winner emerges. For example, you would say 'a Formula One race' but 'a chess tournament,' 'a football match,' and 'a singing competition.'

racing ↗competition ↗contest ↗match ↗tournament ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • racing fan
  • racing enthusiast
  • racing career
  • racing industry
  • racing world
  • racing history

Adverbs

  • professionally in racing
  • competitively in racing

Phrases

  • a day at the races
  • the thrill of racing
  • the world of racing

Prepositions

  • in racing
  • of racing
  • into racing

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Racing' comes from the noun 'race', which entered Middle English from Old Norse 'rás', meaning a running or a rush. The sense of a contest of speed developed in the 1500s. The gerund form 'racing' began to be used as a noun for the sport or activity in the 1700s.