Meanings
reaching1
- gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of reach
reaching2
plural reachings
- The action of one who reaches; an attempt to grasp something by stretching.
- nauticalSailing on a reach, i.e. having the wind on either side and coming from an angle that is larger with respect to the bow than when sailing close-hauled.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
reaching · verb
- Proto-Germanic*rakjandz
- Proto-Germanic*raikijandz
- Old English*rǣċende
- Middle Englishreching
- Englishreaching
From Middle English reching, rechyng, recchinge, rechand, from Old English *rǣċende and reċċende (“reaching”), from Proto-Germanic *raikijandz, present participle of *raikijaną (“to stretch, reach”) and Proto-Germanic *rakjandz, present participle of *rakjaną (“to stretch, straighten”). Equivalent to reach + -ing.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →reaching · noun
- Old Englishrǣċing“reaching, extending”
- Middle Englishrechynge
- Englishreaching
From Middle English rechynge, recchinge, from Old English rǣċing (“reaching, extending”), equivalent to reach + -ing.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish purjehdus sivutuulessa, sivutuulipurjehdus
- purjehdus sivutuulessasailing on a reach
- sivutuulipurjehdussailing on a reach
Spanish alcanzamiento, llegamiento
- alcanzamientoaction
- llegamientoaction
- allegamientoaction
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with reaching
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
reaching. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reaching
“reaching.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reaching. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “reaching,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reaching.
Source: reaching on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.