What does inputting mean?
Inputting is the act of entering data, commands, or other information into a computer or similar system. It is the present participle and gerund of the verb input, and it is most often encountered in workplace, technical, and administrative settings, where it describes tasks such as typing figures into a database, keying in a code, or feeding values into a program. The word carries a neutral, somewhat mechanical connotation: it emphasises the transfer of information into a system rather than the creative work of producing it. Less commonly, it can describe contributing ideas or resources to a broader process. Because it is plainly descriptive, inputting is a useful term when precision matters, as it clearly marks the direction of flow, in rather than out. Its counterpart, outputting, describes the opposite movement, and together the two terms frame much of how people talk about interacting with machines and information systems.
verbThe present participle and gerund of input: entering data, instructions, or other information into a computer or other system.
- Entering data or instructions into a computer or electronic system.
- Contributing information, ideas, or resources to a process or project (less common).
"She spent the afternoon inputting survey responses into the spreadsheet before the deadline."
"Inputting the wrong password three times locked her out of the account."
"The clerk was inputting hours from the paper timesheets when the power failed."
The verb input was back-formed from the noun, which is why its past tense can be either input or the regularised inputted.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does inputting come from?
Inputting is formed from the verb input, which itself derives from the noun input, a compound of the prepositional element in and put. The noun is attested from the 19th century, with the verb use developing later in the 20th century alongside computing. The verb is a back-formation from the noun and combines Old English-derived elements.
Related word forms
How inputting is actually used
Common in computing, administrative, and technical contexts. Neutral to slightly technical in register. Both input and inputted are accepted as past forms, with inputted somewhat more common in general use.
Easily confused with inputting
Inputting means entering data into a system, whereas imputing means attributing something (such as blame or a value) to someone or something.
Inputting sends information into a system, whereas outputting produces or sends information out of it.