ping
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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Computers. to send an echo-request packet to (an IP address) and use the echo reply to determine whether another computer on the network is operational and the speed at which the data is being transferred.
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to make contact with (someone) by sending a brief electronic message, as a text message.
The design team should ping marketing to set up a meeting next week.
Ping me when you arrive, and I’ll meet you at the door.
noun
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a pinging sound.
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an infrasonic or ultrasonic sound wave created by sonar in echolocation.
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an acoustic signal transmitted to indicate a location.
Rescue crews were able to follow the ping and locate the flight recorder.
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Computers. an echo-request and echo-reply protocol that tests a connection online or in a network by sending a packet to a host IP address and measuring the round-trip speed of data transfer.
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one of the possible sounds made by an electronic or mobile device to signal the receipt of data, as a phone or text message.
noun
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a short high-pitched resonant sound, as of a bullet striking metal or a sonar echo
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computing a system for testing whether internet systems are responding and how long in milliseconds it takes them to respond
verb
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(intr) to make such a noise
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(tr) computing to send a test message to (a computer or server) in order to check whether it is responding or how long it takes it to respond
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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pingsimple
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pingssimple
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have pingedperfect
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has pingedperfect
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am pingingprogressive
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are pingingprogressive
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is pingingprogressive
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have been pingingperfect progressive
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has been pingingperfect progressive
Past
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pingedsimple
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had pingedperfect
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was pingingprogressive
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were pingingprogressive
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had been pingingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of ping
First recorded in 1850–55; imitative
Explanation
A ping is a sharp, high-pitched, somewhat musical sound. Quickly tapping a spoon against a crystal glass makes a ping. If you ping someone, you contact them via computer or phone, which might ping when the message comes through. The word ping is onomatopoeic, or imitative — in other words, it sounds just like its meaning. Things that might ping include your electronic alarm clock, some video games, a stone against your car's windshield, and the timer on your microwave. In the 1800s, a ping was primarily the sound a bullet made as it hit something — today it's just as likely to mean "a message sent from one computer to another."
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:
It was a rare, unexplained, glitch in a system that blares out warnings of incoming attacks multiple times a day through loudspeaker announcements on the street and metro, and the collective ping of phone notifications.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
You can also be notified by way of the “Where’s My Ballot?” tracking tool if you have signed up for automatic notifications that will ping you if there are issues with your ballot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026
Upload speeds were generally stable, though ping times increased significantly on distant servers — reaching over 500 ms in Australia — which could introduce noticeable lag during gaming or video calls.
From Salon ● Mar. 21, 2026
"Ross stayed awake one night listening to the 'ping ping ping' of the smaller stones coming down but the bigger ones - you really hear them thud," she said.
From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2026
The torturous ping of enemy sonar waves echoed relentlessly through the boat.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Prosecutors said the victim pressed his cell’s emergency call button, which turned on a green light outside his door and sent a series of pings to notify the guard on duty in the living area.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026
The soundtrack is a series of bleeps and pings as fresh data is fed to dozens of men in T-shirts and hoodies hunched over joysticks and keyboards.
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026
If the phrasing pings on your internal generative AI radar, you’re not alone.
From Barron's ● Apr. 14, 2026
Not yogurt eaten in a fugue state between Slack pings.
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2026
Dings, pings, bells, whoops, and techno music filled the air.
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
He was abroad in March this year when his phone pinged to say he no longer had access to the Kia Connect app.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Kim said Rinderknecht’s phone first pinged in a small gully near where they believe the fire originated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
Undeterred, Bordeaux quickly seized control, and while a Cameron Woki try was ruled out for a hand in touch, Lucu struck for the Top 14 side after Robbie Henshaw was pinged for offside.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
Phones pinged with constant texts from friends and relatives watching the news around the world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2026
My phone pinged with a hit on the number trace.
From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin
The Wi-Fi still worked—though he couldn’t answer, his phone kept pinging with updates and questions about the other Spirit planes Nomadic was supposed to ferry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026
My phone is pinging near constantly with alerts from Signal groups that exist to defend and support our community.
From Slate ● Jan. 25, 2026
"We get notifications every time a new case is confirmed in the UK and it's been pinging quite frequently, unfortunately," Ms Postance said.
From BBC ● Nov. 23, 2025
My phone started pinging with two-factor authentication notifications.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2025
Before long, he has tuned in both receivers to Volkheimer’s transmitter pinging along.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
