Doodling Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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doodling

[ˈduːdlɪŋ ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Noun}

artistic expression

Doodling is the act of drawing or sketching aimlessly, often done absentmindedly while on the phone or during a meeting. It is a form of art that allows for creative expression and stress relief.

Synonyms

drawing, scribbling, sketching.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
doodling	Doodling typically happens when someone is bored or not paying full attention and is aimlessly drawing. It usually involves repetitive patterns or simple shapes. She was doodling in her notebook during the long meeting. His school books are filled with doodles drawn during class.
scribbling	Scribbling often has a negative connotation and implies very quick, messy, or careless drawing without much thought. This is common with small children. The toddler was scribbling all over the walls with crayons. He scribbled a quick note on a scrap piece of paper.
sketching	Sketching is typically more deliberate than doodling or scribbling. It usually refers to quickly drawing the basic outline of a subject, often as a preliminary step in creating a more detailed piece of art. She was sketching the scenery before starting on her painting. The architect spent the afternoon sketching plans for the new building.
drawing	Drawing is a more general term that can refer to any act of creating visual art with pen, pencil, or other tools. It usually implies a more intentional and effortful creation than doodling. She loves drawing portraits of her friends. His drawing of the landscape was very detailed and beautiful.

Examples of usage

Her notebook was filled with doodles of flowers and hearts.
Instead of taking notes, he spent the entire lecture doodling in the margins.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

design

In the world of design, doodling refers to the rough, preliminary sketches or drawings used to brainstorm and develop ideas for a project. It helps designers visualize concepts before creating the final product.

Synonyms

drafting, ideating, sketching.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
doodling	Best for casual, random drawings, often made without much thought while distracted or during free time. She spent the meeting doodling in her notebook His margins were filled with little doodles
sketching	Best used for quick, rough drawings that capture the main features or ideas, often as a preliminary step in a creative process. She was sketching out a rough outline of the painting The designer started by sketching different outfit ideas
drafting	Typically used in more formal or technical contexts, such as creating preliminary versions of documents, architectural plans, or engineering blueprints. Before submitting the final report, he spent hours drafting the first version The architect is drafting the plans for the new building
ideating	Used when brainstorming or coming up with new ideas in a creative and structured way. Common in design and innovation contexts. The team spent the morning ideating potential new features for the app They had a session dedicated to ideating innovative marketing strategies

Examples of usage

The designer spent hours doodling different logo concepts before choosing the final one.
She always starts her creative process by doodling on a blank canvas.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'doodling'

The term 'doodling' originated in the 1930s and is believed to come from the German word 'dudeln', which means 'to play or improvise a tune'. Over time, doodling has evolved to encompass various forms of spontaneous drawing and sketching.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #35,762, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.

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35759 resuscitating
35760 hypothecate
35761 quadriplegia
35762 doodling
35763 otiose
35764 redeploy
35765 strummed
...