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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Recent Examples of ding-dong
Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
In North Carolina, a juvenile was shot in the leg after a homeowner fired at a vehicle during a late-night ding-dong ditch-style prank, according to police.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Legal experts note people playing ding-dong ditch can also face charges, with offenses ranging from criminal trespass to disorderly conduct.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 6 Jan. 2026
Earlier this year, an 11-year-old boy in Houston was shot and killed while playing the seemingly harmless prank of ding-dong-ditch.
—Stephanie Murray, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
In their search for a late-night ding-dong ditcher, a California homeowner discovered a bear pulling a prank.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
In 2020, three 16-year-olds were killed when a man rammed his car into their vehicle in retaliation for pulling a ding-dong-ditch prank on him.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
In California, a 45-year-old man who ran down a group of ding-dong ditch pranksters, killing three teenagers, was sentenced in 2023 to life in prison.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2025
Three kids playing a ding-dong ditch prank in a southwest Florida neighborhood ended up getting chased down and nearly hit by one resident in a car, authorities said.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 16 July 2025
Noun
While moist’s related meanings certainly might drive our dislike, Max Müller’s ding-dong theory, known now as sound symbolism, provides an alternative, suggesting it instead (or also) might have something to do with the specific sounds that are in the word.
—Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
In North Carolina, a juvenile was shot in the leg after a homeowner fired at a vehicle during a late-night ding-dong ditch-style prank, according to police.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Legal experts note people playing ding-dong ditch can also face charges, with offenses ranging from criminal trespass to disorderly conduct.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 6 Jan. 2026
Earlier this year, an 11-year-old boy in Houston was shot and killed while playing the seemingly harmless prank of ding-dong-ditch.
—Stephanie Murray, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
In their search for a late-night ding-dong ditcher, a California homeowner discovered a bear pulling a prank.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
In 2020, three 16-year-olds were killed when a man rammed his car into their vehicle in retaliation for pulling a ding-dong-ditch prank on him.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
In California, a 45-year-old man who ran down a group of ding-dong ditch pranksters, killing three teenagers, was sentenced in 2023 to life in prison.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2025
Three kids playing a ding-dong ditch prank in a southwest Florida neighborhood ended up getting chased down and nearly hit by one resident in a car, authorities said.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 16 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ding-dong
Noun
-
To get a sentence like that in a communist, radically left-wing city of liberal lunatics is truly amazing.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Friends with a sudden devotion to nature begin making plans to convene in parks; TurboTax becomes your closest email companion; your risk of injury at the hands of a lunatic on a City Bike, haunted by the memory of a New Year’s resolution to exercise, may increase.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Prices at the auction were gong up and up.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Post-draft outlook Don’t let the draft-weekend optimism fool you — the Cardinals have a long road ahead.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
There is an old saying that people who represent themselves in court effectively have a fool for a lawyer.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In this particular game, your hopes and intentions as a player clash with an immense, almost boundless world and its survival mechanics.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
-
Last year, Scott clashed with Wyrick over the hiring process for a new city manager to replace Moore, who died in October 2023.—
Joseph Flaherty,
Arkansas Online,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Organic cotton and goose down in three firm varieties mean there’s a suitable fill for stomach, back, and side sleepers alike.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The National Park Service has carried out some renovations since then, and the pool is also periodically drained to scrub out algae, garbage, goose droppings and other detritus.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The hiker then begins jingling bells in the bear's face in an attempt to scare it off, but the bear charges forward.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
-
School rules now insignificant—even to Walsh, who stands hands in his pockets, jingling his keys.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Future transshipment rules, for instance, could ding individual components that are made in one country—China, again, is a good bet—and then integrated into a product without enough of a transformation in another before winding up in the United States.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Nov. 2025
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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
Noun
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This year forecasts for nuts and other food are better, but as the animals have emerged from winter hibernation there have also been record numbers of sightings, according to local media.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
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Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds can all help support a strong, healthy immune system.—
Mykenna Maniece,
Vogue,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ding-dong.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ding-dong. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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