ping-pong
verb (used with object)
to move back and forth or transfer rapidly from one locale, job, etc., to another; switch.
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ping-pong
1 American
[ping-pong, -pawng]
/ ˈpɪŋˌpɒŋ, -ˌpɔŋ /
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
Ping-Pong
2
American
[ping-pong, -pawng]
/ ˈpɪŋˌpɒŋ, -ˌpɔŋ /
Trademark.
Ping-Pong
British
/ ˈpɪŋˌpɒŋ /
noun
Etymology
Origin of ping-pong
First recorded in 1900–05
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In January Takaichi and President Lee Jae Myung jammed on the drums together, while Koizumi played ping-pong with his counterpart.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Even that “Shark Tank” guy from the ping-pong movie who got $15 million from Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX is building data centers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
Ace integrates nine synchronized cameras and three vision systems to track the spinning plastic ping-pong ball.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill is currently stuck in parliamentary "ping-pong", where legislation moves between the Commons and Lords until agreement is reached on its final wording.
From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2026
“Wasn’t I supposed to beat him? Isn’t that the point? Now that he’s dead, I guess it doesn’t matter any more whether I’m a better ping-pong player or not, does it?”
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
He purchased a Ping-Pong table as his first piece of furniture.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2024
The sea of Ping-Pong balls across the floor testifies to their many failed attempts.
From New York Times ● Feb. 24, 2024
The Ping-Pong table was surrounded by silent reminders of a singular college career — purple helmets, signed footballs, All-Pac-10 plaques, framed articles from Sports Illustrated and The Seattle Times featuring delightfully hackneyed headlines:
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 6, 2023
The favorite spot among players at the Ryder Cup is their team room, with its food and drinks, plenty of laughter, motivational moments and for the Americans, epic tales of Ping-Pong.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 27, 2023
I followed him around as he showed me all the things his parents regularly bought him: toys, bicycles, go-carts, pinball machines, Ping-Pong tables, electric trains.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
