matching

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "matching" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is similar or agrees with something else. For example, "The two pictures have matching frames."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And everyone knows that the only thing that can even come close to matching a decade-old repeat of Top Gear in terms of witty banter is a dank polling booth set up in an abandoned church hall on a drizzly Thursday afternoon".

The Guardian

The people who run our supermarkets, obsessed as they are with "price matching" and "meal deals", seem not to have noticed this.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Or you can build blocks of matching pieces and then connect them, as if you were playing with Legos.

The Guardian - Tech

The defense and goalkeeper Luis Robles have been stellar, matching the team record for shutouts in a season, even though their momentary lapses have been comical.

The Guardian - Sport

Holland led Felicity Abram by eight seconds going into the run and held on to that advantage, matching the Australian's time of 36 minutes 42 seconds to finish 10th, in 2 15.16.

The Guardian - Sport

His and hers prints Sophie Ellis Bextor and Richard Jones in matching monochrome: you have been warned.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

You punish yourself for not matching up to your own wildly unattainable expectations, which have been drawn from society's wildly unattainable expectations.

The Guardian

Enter the "cropped top coord look" – a shorter top worn with shorts or skirt in matching, often tropical, print.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

She then went a step further by matching Burnham's position on the deficit, suggesting that the Labour government could have done more to insulate the country from the financial crash.

The Guardian

Growth in 2015 is now projected to be 2.6%, matching last year's pace but down from a forecast for 2.7% made in November.

The Guardian - Business

While other European countries have also invested heavily in their railways, they do not benefit from the same vibrant rail market and so do not come close to matching GB rail's success over the last decade and a half, which has seen our railway transformed into Europe's safest and fastest-growing network.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "matching" to describe items, ensure the context clearly specifies the characteristic they share, such as color, style, or purpose.

Common error

Avoid using "matching" when the similarity is already implied. For instance, instead of saying "matching pairs", consider simply "pairs" if the pairing inherently implies similarity.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "matching" is as a present participle or gerund, often used as an adjective to describe something that corresponds or is similar to something else. Ludwig's examples confirm its versatility in various sentence structures.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Lifestyle

25%

Sport

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Science

7%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "matching" is a versatile term frequently used to denote similarity, equivalence, or harmony across various contexts. Ludwig AI confirms it as grammatically correct, predominantly functioning as a present participle or adjective. Its usage spans from news articles and lifestyle content to sports reports, with a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal communications. Be mindful of redundant usage and choose alternative terms like "corresponding" or "aligning" for nuanced expressions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

corresponding

This term emphasizes a direct relationship or similarity in nature or function.

corresponding to

This emphasizes direct agreement or analogy with something else.

aligning

This alternative suggests bringing into agreement or conformity.

equating

This implies establishing an equality or similarity between two things.

in agreement with

This alternative highlights the state of being in accord or harmony.

harmonizing

This suggests creating a pleasing or consistent arrangement.

fitting

This implies suitability or appropriateness for a particular purpose or situation.

coordinating

This indicates organizing different elements to work together effectively.

tallying

This term highlights agreement, especially in numerical terms.

resembling

This suggests a similarity in appearance or characteristics.

FAQs

How can I use "matching" in a sentence?

You can use "matching" to describe things that are similar or go well together. For example, "They wore "matching outfits"" or "The curtains are "matching the sofa"".

What is a good substitute for the word "matching"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "corresponding", "similar", "harmonious", or "coordinated".

Which is correct, "matching colors" or "complementary colors"?

"Matching colors" implies that the colors are the same, while "complementary colors" are colors that look good together but are different. The correct term depends on the relationship you want to describe.

What's the difference between "matching" and "coordinating"?

"Matching" typically means being identical or very similar, while "coordinating" implies that items go well together without necessarily being the same. For example, you can have "matching shoes and bag", or "coordinating colors" in a room.