browsing

/braʊz/ (bre, ipa) · [brˈaʊzɪŋ] /braʊz/ (ame, ipa) · [brˈaʊzɪŋ] /ˈbrau̇z How to pronounce browse (audio)/ (ame, mw)

browsing — verb

  • browsingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • browsings3rd person singular
  • browsinging-ing form
  • browsingedpast simple

1. as the -ing form of 'browse', moving from page to page or item to item in a rela

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

as the -ing form of 'browse', moving from page to page or item to item in a relaxed way, without checking everything carefully or planning to buy right away.

例句

Greta was browsing cookbooks near the cafe before her train home.

be browsing + books

Hiro is browsing the weekend market, but he has not bought anything.

be browsing + place with no buying plan

同義詞
  • look around

    broader everyday phrase, especially for shops or places

  • skim

    closer for reading, but focuses on quick reading rather than general looking

  • window-shop

    narrower and used mainly for looking at goods without buying

反義詞
  • study

    suggests careful, focused reading or checking

  • buy

    marks the point where casual looking turns into a purchase

文法句型

be browsing + books or goods

be browsing in + shop or market

just browsing

用法筆記

Often used for looking around without a fixed target. In shop contexts, it often suggests no immediate plan to buy; with books or magazines, it suggests light, selective reading rather than careful study.

常見錯誤

❌Greta was browsing for the cookbook pages.
✅Greta was browsing cookbooks.' or 'Greta was browsing through the cookbook.
💡this sense usually takes the item or place directly, not 'for' before the thing being looked at.
❌Hiro was studying the market stalls for fun.
✅Hiro was browsing the market stalls for fun.
💡'study' sounds careful and detailed, but 'browse' is casual.

2. as the -ing form of 'browse', looking through websites, apps, or other online in

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

as the -ing form of 'browse', looking through websites, apps, or other online information in a casual way instead of searching for one exact result.

例句

Eitan was browsing travel sites after dinner to plan the holiday.

be browsing + website

Mayumi is browsing a recipe app on the bus to work.

同義詞
  • surf

    informal and especially common for casual web use

  • scroll

    focuses on screen movement rather than the broader activity of looking around

  • look through

    neutral phrase that can apply to lists, pages, or sites

反義詞
  • search

    suggests trying to find one specific thing

  • download

    focuses on saving the content rather than simply viewing it

文法句型

be browsing + website or app

be browsing online for + item

be browsing the web

用法筆記

Usually used for digital content such as sites, pages, menus, or product listings. Distinguish it from sense 1: this sense is specifically about information on a screen rather than physical books or goods in front of you.

常見錯誤

❌Ezra was browsing in the internet for cameras.
✅Ezra was browsing the internet for cameras.' or 'Ezra was browsing online for cameras.
💡use 'the internet' as the object, not 'in the internet'.
❌Mayumi was scrolling a recipe app for ideas, so she was reading every page carefully.
✅Mayumi was browsing a recipe app for ideas.
💡browsing suggests casual looking, not close reading of every page.

3. as the -ing form of 'browse', feeding slowly on leaves, grass, or young branches

3.動詞不及物
釋義

as the -ing form of 'browse', feeding slowly on leaves, grass, or young branches as an animal moves along.

例句

Two deer were browsing on leaves beside the forest path at dusk.

animals browsing on + plants

Several goats were browsing among the bushes behind the village school.

同義詞
  • graze

    close in meaning, but more strongly linked with grass in open ground

  • feed

    broader and less specific about what is being eaten

反義詞
  • hunt

    describes searching for animal prey, not feeding on plants

  • fast

    means not eating at all for a period

文法句型

be browsing on + leaves or plants

be browsing among + bushes

be browsing near + place

用法筆記

Used mainly for plant-eating animals such as deer or goats. It usually suggests nibbling leaves, shoots, or similar growth while moving, rather than taking one quick bite or eating prepared food.

常見錯誤

❌The children were browsing on sandwiches during lunch.
✅The children were snacking on sandwiches during lunch.
💡this sense is for animals feeding on plants, not people eating meals.
❌The goats were grazing on the tall tree branches.
✅The goats were browsing on the tall tree branches.
💡'graze' is more natural for grass, while 'browse' fits leaves and branches.

browsing — noun