ring

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈriŋ 

1

: a circular band for holding, connecting, hanging, pulling, packing, or sealing

a key ring

a towel ring

2

: a circlet usually of precious metal worn especially on the finger

3

a

: a circular line, figure, or object

smoke ring

b

: an encircling arrangement

a ring of suburbs

c

: a circular or spiral course

—often used figuratively in plural in the phrase run rings around to describe surpassing an opponent decisively

4

a(1)

: an often circular space especially for exhibitions or competitions

especially : such a space at a circus

(2)

: a structure containing such a ring

b

: a usually square enclosure in which a fighting contest (such as a boxing or wrestling match) takes place

5

: a band of small objects revolving around a planet (such as Saturn) and composed of dust and icy or rocky fragments

6

: annual ring

7

a

: an exclusive combination of persons for a selfish and often corrupt purpose (as to control a market)

a wheat ring

b

: gang

8

: the field of a political contest : race

9

: food in the shape of a circle

10

: an arrangement of atoms represented in formulas or models in a cyclic manner

called also cycle

11

: a set of mathematical elements that is closed under two binary operations of which the first forms a commutative group with the set and the second is associative over the set and is distributive with respect to the first operation

12

rings plural

a

: a pair of usually rubber-covered metal rings suspended from a ceiling or crossbar to a height of approximately eight feet above the floor and used for hanging, swinging, and balancing feats in gymnastics

b

: an event in gymnastics competition in which the rings are used

13

: boxing entry 1

ended his ring career

ringlike

ˈriŋ-līk 

adjective

ring

2 of 4

verb (1)

ringed; ringing ˈriŋ-iŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to provide with a ring

2

: to place or form a ring around : encircle

police ringed the building

3

: girdle sense 2

4

: to throw a ringer over (the peg) in a game (such as horseshoes or quoits)

intransitive verb

1

a

: to move in a ring

b

: to rise in the air spirally

2

: to form or take the shape of a ring

ring

3 of 4

verb (2)

rang ˈraŋ  ; rung ˈrəŋ  ; ringing ˈriŋ-iŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to sound resonantly or sonorously

the doorbell rang

cheers rang out

2

a

: to be filled with a reverberating sound : resound

the halls rang with laughter

b

: to have the sensation of being filled with a humming sound

his ears rang

3

: to cause something to ring

ring for the butler

4

a

: to be filled with talk or report

the whole land rang with her fame

b

: to have great renown

c

: to sound repetitiously

their praise rang in his ears

5

: to have a sound or character expressive of some quality

a story that rings true

6

chiefly British : to make a telephone call

—usually used with up

transitive verb

1

: to cause to sound especially by striking

2

: to make (a sound) by or as if by ringing a bell

3

: to announce by or as if by ringing

4

: to repeat often, loudly, or earnestly

5

a

: to summon especially by bell

b

chiefly British : telephone

—usually used with up

ring

4 of 4

noun (2)

1

: a set of bells

2

: a clear resonant sound made by or resembling that made by vibrating metal

3

: resonant tone : sonority

4

: a loud sound continued, repeated, or reverberated

5

: a sound or character expressive of some particular quality

the story had a familiar ring

6

a

: the act or an instance of ringing

b

: a telephone call

Phrases

ring a bell

: to arouse a response

that name rings a bell

ring down the curtain

: to conclude a performance or an action

ring off the hook

: to ring frequently or constantly with incoming calls

the telephone was ringing off the hook

ring the changes or ring changes

: to run through the range of possible variations

ring up the curtain

: to begin a performance or an action

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• cabal
• conspiracy
• crew
• gang
• Mafia
• mob
• syndicate

Verb (1)

• circle
• compass
• embrace
• encircle
• enclose
• inclose
• encompass
• environ
• gird
• girdle
• surround
• wreathe

Verb (2)

• bong
• chime
• knell
• peal
• toll

Noun (2)

• buzz
• call

Examples of ring in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a ring of counterfeiters passing phony $20 bills

a metal ring encircled the barrel

a gaming ring that meets once a week to play

the coffee cup left a ring on the table

Verb (1)

tall cypress trees ringing the park

the line of season ticket buyers ringed the block

Verb (2)

I didn't hear the doorbell ring

Noun (2)

give me a ring when you're ready to go

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

But before the phone started ringing that day, Nancy was lamenting that the sky had been cloudy on the day of the solar eclipse — the last that would pass over England in her lifetime. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024

In late September, Torri was driving down the highway with her 11-year-old son Junior in the back seat when her phone started ringing. —Aliyya Swaby, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2024

Noun

Enjoy the mirror-still water from the fire ring, or hop aboard the kayaks that come with the property for a scenic paddle. —Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2024

In March, Johnson went on Kirk’s show to kiss the ring. —Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, going back to Old English hring (masculine strong noun), going back to Germanic *hrenga- (whence also Old Frisian hring, ring "ring," Old Saxon hring "chain mail," Old High German ring, rinh "ring," Old Icelandic hringr), going back to dialectal Indo-European *kreng^ho-, *krong^ho-, whence also Old Church Slavic krǫgŭ "circle, ring," Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian krûg, Polish krąg

Note: The only certain attestations of this etymon are in Germanic and Slavic. As it violates an Indo-European root structure constraint on co-occurrence of a voiceless stop and a voiced aspirate stop, the etymon is presumably late or post-Indo-European, or borrowed from an unknown source.

Verb (1)

Middle English ringen, derivative of ring ring entry 1

Verb (2)

Middle English, from Old English hringan; akin to Old Norse hringja to ring

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ring

• annual ring
• benzene ring
• brass ring
• coffee ring
• double-ring
• D ring
• fairy ring
• gas ring
• give (someone) a ring
• go for the brass ring
• grab the brass ring
• growth ring
• have a hollow ring
• key ring
• life ring
• nose ring
• onion ring
• O-ring
• piston ring
• quotient ring
• ring a bell
• ring-a-levio
• ring-a-lievo
• ring-a-rosy
• ring-around-a-rosy
• ring-around-the-rosy
• ring bearer
• ring-billed gull
• ring binder
• ring changes
• ring dance
• ring down the curtain
• ring false
• ring-fence
• ring finger
• ring hollow
• ring in
• ring in at
• ring in someone's ears/head
• ring in the New Year
• ring-neck
• ring-necked
• ring-necked duck
• ring-necked pheasant
• ring off
• ring off the hook
• ring out
• ring ouzel
• ring-porous
• ring pull
• ring road
• ring spot
• ring stand
• ring-tailed
• ring-tailed lemur
• ring the changes
• ring toss
• ring true
• ring up
• ring up the curtain
• seal ring
• show ring
• signet ring
• slip ring
• sound/ring/toll the death knell
• teething ring
• the brass ring
• three-ring circus
• throw/toss one's hat in/into the ring
• tree ring
• wedding ring

Kids Definition

ring

1 of 4 noun

ˈriŋ 

1

: a circular band for holding, connecting, hanging, or pulling or for packing or sealing

a key ring

a towel ring

2

: a circular band usually of precious metal worn on the finger

3

: something circular in shape

smoke rings

4

: an often circular space for shows and contests

a circus ring

a boxing ring

5

: annual ring

6

: a group of persons involved in selfish or dishonest activities

a ring of thieves

7

plural : a pair of rings suspended from above and used for hanging, swinging, and balancing tricks in gymnastics

ringed

ˈriŋd

adjective

ringlike

ˈriŋ-ˌlīk 

adjective

ring

2 of 4 verb

ringed; ringing ˈriŋ-iŋ 

1

: to place or form a ring around : encircle

2

: to provide with a ring

3

: to throw a ringer over (the peg) in a game (as horseshoes)

4

: to form or take the shape of a ring

ring

3 of 4 verb

rang ˈraŋ  ; rung ˈrəŋ  ; ringing ˈriŋ-iŋ 

1

: to make a clear and vibrating sound when struck

church bells ringing

2

: to cause to sound especially by striking

rang the bell

3

: to announce by or as if by ringing

ring an alarm

ring in the new year

4

: to sound loudly

cheers rang out

5

a

: to be filled with echoing sound : resound

the whole hall rang with their cheers

b

: to have the feeling of being filled with a humming sound

his ears were ringing

6

: to be filled with talk or news

the whole town rang with news of the victory

7

: to seem to have some particular quality

her story rings true

8

a

: to call for especially by bell

ring for the servants

b

chiefly British : to call on the telephone

will ring you up tomorrow

ring

4 of 4 noun

1

: a set of bells

2

: a clear sound made by or as if by vibrating metal

3

: a tone like that of a bell

4

: a continuous or repeating loud noise

5

: something that suggests a certain quality

a story with the ring of truth

6

a

: the act or an instance of ringing

b

: a telephone call

Etymology

Noun

Old English hring "a circular band"

Verb

Old English hringan "to ring"

Medical Definition

ring

1 of 2 noun

ˈriŋ 

1

a

: a circular band

b

: an anatomical structure having a circular opening : annulus

2

: an arrangement of atoms represented in formulas or models in a cyclic manner as a closed chain

called also cycle

ring

2 of 2 intransitive verb

rang ˈraŋ  ; rung ˈrəŋ  ; ringing ˈriŋ-iŋ 

: to have the sensation of being filled with a humming sound

his ears rang