gong

American  

[gawng, gong] / gɔŋ, gɒŋ /

noun

1. a large bronze disk, of Asian origin, having an upturned rim, that produces a vibrant, hollow tone when struck, usually with a stick or hammer that has a padded head.

2. a shallow bell sounded by a hammer operated electrically or mechanically.

   The fire-alarm system will automatically sound the gong.

3. (in a clock or watch) a rod or wire, either straight or bent into a spiral, on which the time is struck.

4. British Slang. a medal or military decoration.

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verb (used without object)

1. to sound as a gong does; ring, chime, or reverberate.

gong British  

/ ɡɒŋ /

noun

1. Also called: tam-tam.  a percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, consisting of a metal platelike disc struck with a soft-headed drumstick

2. a rimmed metal disc, hollow metal hemisphere, or metal strip, tube, or wire that produces a note when struck. It may be used to give alarm signals when operated electromagnetically

3. a fixed saucer-shaped bell, as on an alarm clock, struck by a mechanically operated hammer

4. slang a medal, esp a military one

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verb

1. (intr) to sound a gong

2. (tr) (of traffic police) to summon (a driver) to stop by sounding a gong

Other Word Forms

• gonglike adjective

Etymology

Origin of gong

1800–10; < Malay, Javanese: any suspended bossed and rimmed gong; presumably imitative

Explanation

A gong is a large percussion instrument that you play by hitting it with a mallet. Gongs make a resonant, echoing sound. In the classic game show "The Gong Show," amateur performers tried to impress judges who could end the act by banging a giant gong. There are two types of gongs: one that makes a loud, crashing sound, and another that is actually tuned to a specific note. The crashing gong is sometimes also called a tam-tam. The oldest gongs were played in the early Han Dynasty in China, and gongs continue to be common in religious and secular Chinese music. Gong, named for the sound of a gong, comes from Malay.

Example Sentences

There is even a gong, which is used to celebrate business milestones, new funding rounds or anything else worth marking with a ceremonial bang.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Weeks after winning the best new artist Grammy, she bagged the evening's most coveted Album Of The Year gong, beating out indie singer Sam Fender, rockers Wolf Alice, pop star Lily Allen and rapper Dave.

From Barron's • Feb. 28, 2026

Danger feels suspended in the soft-blue light, in which the lion’s tail and the round, silvery moon, balanced just-so, are poised like a raised mallet and gong.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 15, 2025

I wasn’t watching movies thinking I was gong to make movies.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2025

We didn't speak, but sat there, in a dose, sisterly silence, until the gong for supper sounded down the hall "Lie down," the nurse said.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath