ping

To send someone a short message, usually because you want a reply.

• Ping me when you arrive.
• I pinged her about the missing file.
• Could you ping the team for an update?

How to use it: ping someone about something (I will ping you about the meeting.); ping someone to do something (Ping me to check whether I am free.)

Similar words: message, contact

Common phrases: ping someone, ping someone about, ping someone later

To make a short, high sound.

• My phone pinged.
• The microwave pings when the food is ready.
• Small stones pinged against the metal roof.

Similar words: ting

Common phrases: phone ping, ping loudly, ping against something

To hit a surface and move quickly away from it.

• The ball pinged off the wall.
• A stone pinged across the path.
• The shot pinged off the post and back onto the field.

How to use it: ping off something (The ball pinged off the goalpost.)

Similar words: bounce, ricochet

Common phrases: ping off something, ping around something

To move something with a quick, light hit from your finger.

• He pinged the crumb away.
• She pinged a coin across the table.
• I pinged a small stone into the pond.

How to use it: ping something off something (She pinged a crumb off her sleeve.)

Similar words: flick

Common phrases: ping something away, ping something off, ping a coin

A short, high sound, often made by metal or an electronic device.

• I heard a ping.
• The microwave finished with a cheerful ping.
• A strange ping came from the engine.

Similar words: ting

Common phrases: a loud ping, a sharp ping, hear a ping

A brief alert telling you that something new has happened, often on your phone.

• I got a ping from the app.
• She turned off pings during the meeting.
• A ping on my phone announced a new delivery update.

Similar words: notification, alert

Common phrases: get a ping, a notification ping, ping on something

A short message asking someone to reply or confirm something.

• Send her a quick ping.
• My ping asked whether the files had arrived.
• He replied to my ping within minutes.

How to use it: a ping to someone (I sent a ping to our designer.)

Similar words: message, reminder

Common phrases: send a ping, a quick ping, ping to someone

A short sound sent through water whose returning sound helps locate objects.

• The submarine sent a ping.
• The sonar ping returned an echo from the seabed.
• Repeated pings helped the crew locate the sunken ship.

Common phrases: sonar ping, send a ping, a single ping