ding

¹ American  

[ding] / dɪŋ /

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to make a ringing sound.

2. to speak about insistently.

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verb (used without object)

1. to make a ringing sound.

2. to talk insistently.

noun

1. a ringing sound.

ding ² American  

[ding] / dɪŋ /

verb (used with object)

1. to cause surface damage to; dent.

   Flying gravel had dinged the car's fenders.

2. to strike with force; hit.

   The catcher was dinged on the shoulder by a wild throw.

3. to blackball.

   Only one freshman was dinged by the fraternity.

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noun

1. dent; nick.

   The surfboard has a few dings in it from scraping over rocks.

ding ¹ British  

/ dɪŋ /

verb

1. to ring or cause to ring, esp with tedious repetition

2. (tr) another word for din 1

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noun

1. an imitation or representation of the sound of a bell

2. informal a party or social event

ding ² British  

/ dɪŋ /

verb

1. to strike; dash down

2. to surpass

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Etymology

Origin of ding¹

First recorded in 1575–85; see origin at ding-dong

Origin of ding²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English verb dingen, dengen, dengen “to beat, scourge,” probably from Old English gedingan “to throw oneself with force”; akin to Old English dencgan “to knock, ding,” Old Norse dengja “to beat, hammer”

Explanation

A ding is the sound that a bell makes — a kind of metallic, musical ringing. When you hear the ding of the doorbell, you'll know that the pizza delivery guy is here. Bells, telephones, and doorbells all make a ding, and the word is a verb as well: "I'm going to run when I hear the dinner bell ding — I want to be first in line." Another kind of ding is a small dent or nick in a surface, the kind you might get in your car's bumper during a minor fender bender. Ding falls in the category of imitative words, which sound like their meaning.

Example Sentences

One was about how there were three students named Jamie Ding at Princeton one year, and I still get emails meant for them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Ding lost to international chess master Greg Shahade.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

Ding, who plans to continue in his job as an administrator in a New Jersey housing agency, will return to “Jeopardy!” for the next Tournament of Champions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Ding, the 2016 runner-up, made eight breaks of at least 54 in the match but was unhappy with his performance.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

Piper and I were thinking more or less the same thing, namely, first we were five plus Jet, Gin and Ding and then we were three with Jet and now we were Just Two.

From "How I Live Now" by Meg Rosoff