bon·go
ˈbäŋ-(ˌ)gō 
ˈbȯŋ-
plural bongos also bongoes
: one of a pair of small connected drums of different sizes and pitches played with the hands
plural bongo or bongos
: an African antelope (Tragelaphus eurycerus) that is chestnut red with narrow white vertical stripes and is found in forests from Sierra Leone to Kenya
Examples of bongo in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
ABC News, 9 May 2026
The conservatory cannot accept pianos, organs, kazoos, recorders, hand drums, cajons, frame drums, congas or bongos this year.
—Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Mechanical hand drums subtly reinforce the connection between this music and what a group of inspired stoners might be able to achieve with acoustic guitars and a set of bongos.
—Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
On that track and others on the album, Scott-Heron’s only musical accompaniment was a conga and bongo drums.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Mar. 2026
The eight bongos were supposed to join 17 others that made the journey from Florida to Kenya in February 2025 on a flight sponsored by DHL.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 18 Feb. 2026
Moreira is a defining voice in jazz percussion, proficient at instruments ranging from the tambourine to the bongos.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 21 Nov. 2025
The accordion and percussive instruments like bongos, congas, timbales, cowbells and shakers form reggaeton beats and dancey tempos.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 30 Oct. 2025
The video cuts to Camila, who reads the report outloud as Matthew drums on the bongo and offers his commentary on the report.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
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Noun
His most fulfilling moment was when the fourth calf was born in the wild last year, an indication that the bongos are thriving in their native habitat and that their population will certainly increase.
—ABC News, 9 May 2026
The conservatory cannot accept pianos, organs, kazoos, recorders, hand drums, cajons, frame drums, congas or bongos this year.
—Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Mechanical hand drums subtly reinforce the connection between this music and what a group of inspired stoners might be able to achieve with acoustic guitars and a set of bongos.
—Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
On that track and others on the album, Scott-Heron’s only musical accompaniment was a conga and bongo drums.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Mar. 2026
The eight bongos were supposed to join 17 others that made the journey from Florida to Kenya in February 2025 on a flight sponsored by DHL.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 18 Feb. 2026
Moreira is a defining voice in jazz percussion, proficient at instruments ranging from the tambourine to the bongos.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 21 Nov. 2025
The accordion and percussive instruments like bongos, congas, timbales, cowbells and shakers form reggaeton beats and dancey tempos.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 30 Oct. 2025
The video cuts to Camila, who reads the report outloud as Matthew drums on the bongo and offers his commentary on the report.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bongo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bongo. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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