pong

American  

[pong, pawng] / pɒŋ, pɔŋ /

noun

1. an unpleasant smell; stink.

---

verb (used without object)

1. to have a disagreeable smell; stink.

pong British  

/ pɒŋ /

noun

1. a disagreeable or offensive smell; stink

---

verb

1. (intr) to give off an unpleasant smell; stink

Other Word Forms

• pongy adjective

Etymology

Origin of pong

First recorded in 1915–20; of obscure origin

Example Sentences

One thing to know: Timothée Chalamet stars as ping pong hustler Marty Mauser in this 1950s period piece from director Josh Safdie.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

A vintage magazine ad boasts of the studio’s high-end gear as well as its “large screen video lounge” and “a playroom with pong, pinball and bumper pool.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

The canteen, where staff were playing ping pong and pool just 24 hours earlier, was transformed into a nightclub with more than 400 guests.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

Play long enough, and the speed of the ping pong light ball increases, racing across the expanse until a player can’t keep up.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

I’ll hear the pong of tennis balls, the bark of goldens, the echo of my breath in a snorkel.

From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart