ping-pong

¹ American  

[ping-pong, -pawng] / ˈpɪŋˌpɒŋ, -ˌpɔŋ /

verb (used with object)

1. to move back and forth or transfer rapidly from one locale, job, etc., to another; switch.

   The patient was ping-ponged from one medical specialist to another.

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verb (used without object)

1. to go back and forth; change rapidly or regularly; shift; bounce.

   For ten years the foreign correspondent ping-ponged between London and Paris.

Ping-Pong ² American  

[ping-pong, -pawng] / ˈpɪŋˌpɒŋ, -ˌpɔŋ /

Trademark.

1. table tennis.

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Ping-Pong British  

/ ˈpɪŋˌpɒŋ /

noun

1. Also called: ping pong.  another name for table tennis

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Etymology

Origin of ping-pong

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

The bill is currently at the stage of its parliamentary journey known as "ping-pong", where legislation moves between the Commons and Lords until agreement is reached on its final wording.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

His rider contains only healthful snacks: granola bars, melon slices, grapes large as ping-pong balls.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

It was followed by 13 nominations for the vampire period horror film "Sinners" -- which smashed the all-time Oscars nominations record with 16 selections -- and Timothee Chalamet's ping-pong drama "Marty Supreme" with 11 nods.

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

In a twist of nostalgic synergy, the ping-pong game was invented in 1972, one year before One Liberty Plaza was constructed beside downtown’s Zuccotti Park.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

Appleby was as good at shooting crap as he was at playing ping-pong, and he was as good at playing ping-pong as he was at everything else.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller