as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
there's always one ding-dong in the tour group who wanders off and gets lost
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ding-dong
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
That was a fantastically exciting ding-dong 2-2 — with Atletico missing a 99th penalty and eventually being eliminated from the Champions League after the group stage.
—Dermot Corrigan, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Not a very productive interrogation … that is until there’s a ding-dong at the door.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2024
Ditch the classic ding-dong and instead opt for a more holiday-appropriate sound, like a howl, a cackling witch, or other creepy sounds.
—Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 27 Sep. 2024
Up on the quite lush chopping block in season three is, appropriately, sibling No. 3, traveling ding-dong Colin.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 16 May 2024
The mess-up puts Jamie and Marian in the crosshairs of a local crime organization headed by a soft-spoken brute known only as the Chief (Colman Domingo), who enlists two thuggish ding-dongs to get the suitcase back.
—Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2024
Noun
Bomer is good when Jerry the ding-dong must navigate a moment of real sentiment or complication; the juxtaposition is effective.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
That was a fantastically exciting ding-dong 2-2 — with Atletico missing a 99th penalty and eventually being eliminated from the Champions League after the group stage.
—Dermot Corrigan, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Not a very productive interrogation … that is until there’s a ding-dong at the door.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2024
Ditch the classic ding-dong and instead opt for a more holiday-appropriate sound, like a howl, a cackling witch, or other creepy sounds.
—Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 27 Sep. 2024
Up on the quite lush chopping block in season three is, appropriately, sibling No. 3, traveling ding-dong Colin.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 16 May 2024
The mess-up puts Jamie and Marian in the crosshairs of a local crime organization headed by a soft-spoken brute known only as the Chief (Colman Domingo), who enlists two thuggish ding-dongs to get the suitcase back.
—Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ding-dong
Noun
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Presidents fought an undeclared war against Afghanistan for two decades costing $2.3 trillion on a fool’s errand concluding in a defeat by the Taliban.—
Bruce Fein,
Baltimore Sun,
1 May 2025
-
The Lakers’ No. 1 defense over a 24-game stretch from mid-January through early March was fool’s gold, with Hayes’ play being the most unsustainable part.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
Earlier this month, the administration began targeting the nonprofit status of Harvard University, which could be a prelude to a broader effort to eliminate the tax-exempt status for other nonprofit organizations that the administration has clashed with.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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There is no other objective left for the Kings than to bring the series back to Los Angeles and play in their first Game 7 since the first time these teams clashed in this four-year run that has wound up one-sided.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Noun
-
That means if someone comes across an injured or orphaned goose or wants to relocate a goose, that person would need a permit to handle it, Nitschke said.—
Morgan Severson,
CNN Money,
25 Apr. 2025
-
As hunting dogs, golden retrievers helped retrieve game, such as ducks or geese, from bushes, cliffs and water.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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And that repeating first couplet — which comprises six of the poem’s 18 lines and occupied the first day of this challenge — will surely jingle in your pocket for a long time to come.—
A.O. Scott,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
-
Men dressed as 1880s gunfighters are forever clomping up and down wooden sidewalks with jingling spurs and holstered revolvers on their belts.—
Richard Grant,
Smithsonian Magazine,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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La Cañada resident Trent Sanders, who frequently dings California’s liberal politicos in emails to me and my colleagues, thinks Trump is generally on the right track three months into his term, but with a few caveats.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2025
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Each application requires the card issuer or lender to pull your credit report, which results in a hard inquiry on your report and dings your credit score a few points.—
Dan Avery,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Americans are advised to eat more fruits and vegetables, include a variety of protein sources—seafood, lean meats, poultry, eggs, legumes, soy products, and unsalted nuts/seeds—and opt for protein sources lower in solid fats and calories.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Apr. 2025
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But this time, his front-right tire was slow to come off, seemingly as the wheel gun did not connect with the wheel nut on the first attempt.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Shaking the capsules produces audio signals that range from rattling stones, over tinkling coins to swooshing sand.—
Erico Guizzo,
IEEE Spectrum,
5 Oct. 2018
-
Jeff Goldblum tinkled the ivories during a moving In Memoriam section at the BAFTA Film Awards.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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But DeMar DeRozan’s contested 3-point try at the buzzer clanged off the backboard.—
Staff and news service reports,
Oc Register,
12 Apr. 2025
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First, David Pastrnak set up Geekie for a one-timer but, with much of the net at which to shoot, Geekie clanged the near post.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ding-dong.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ding-dong. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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