zing

[ zing ]

/ zɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR zing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

vitality, animation, or zest.

a quality or characteristic that excites the interest, enthusiasm, etc.: a tourist town with lots of zing.

a sharp singing or whining noise, as of a bullet passing through the air.

verb (used without object)

to move or proceed with a sharp singing or whining noise: The cars zinged down the highway.

to move or proceed with speed or vitality; zip.

verb (used with object)

to cause to move with or as with a sharp, singing or whining noise: The pitcher zinged a slider right over the plate.

Slang. to blame or criticize severely: City Hall always gets zinged when crime increases.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?

Question 1 of 10

earnest

full seriousness, as of intention or purpose.

a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.

urgent character; imperativeness; insistence; importunateness.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of zing

First recorded in 1910–15; imitative

Words nearby zing

zindabad, zinder, zine, zineb, zinfandel, zing, zingara, zingaro, zinger, zingiberaceous, zingy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for zing

So if you are tempted to see the Salinger documentary or read the Salinger book—if you feel that zing—by all means, go ahead.
What We Really Know about J.D. Salinger|Andrew Romano|September 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Coffee is a great pick-me-up on to put some zing in those long Monday mornings, can be served with or without milk and/or sugar.
Pippa's SIMPLE Party Tips|Tom Sykes|November 6, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Or maybe, just maybe, he will zing the president on a white-hot issue dominating every waking moment for, um, some voters.
Mitt’s Bizarre Lyme Disease Offensive|Kent Sepkowitz|October 2, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The newly fired host took advantage of a Letterman appearance to zing Current TV while admitting he had used poor judgment.
Keith Olbermann’s Late-Night Offensive in His War Against Current TV|Howard Kurtz|April 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST

And Julianna thanked Les Moonves for keeping dramas on at 10 o'clock, zing Jeff Zucker.
Best of the Golden Globes|Choire Sicha|January 17, 2010|DAILY BEAST
It looked as if we were going to win the game, and then zing!
Pitching in a Pinch|Christy Mathewson
When you hear the zing of a spent bullet or the sharp crack of an explosive you know it has passed you.
World's War Events, Vol. I|Various
One minute she was jumpin' along amongst them gravestones like a hoptoad with wings, and then—Zing!
Galusha the Magnificent|Joseph C. Lincoln
Zinckenite, zing′ken-īt, n. a grayish mineral consisting of the sulphides of antimony and lead.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)|Various
Zing, zing, zing—I hate your old heat a-singin' in my ears all the gosh-blamed time!
McClure's Magazine, Vol. 31, No. 1, May 1908|Various

British Dictionary definitions for zing

zing

/ (zɪŋ) /

noun informal

a short high-pitched buzzing sound, as of a bullet or vibrating string

vitality; zest

verb

(intr) to make or move with or as if with a high-pitched buzzing sound

Word Origin for zing

C20: of imitative origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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