# ringer

/ˈɹɪŋɝ/ (US) · /ɹˈɪŋɐ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ringer
Updated: 2026-05-09

## Definition

a person who is secretly very good at a sport or game but joins a team of beginners to help them win. It can also mean someone who looks exactly like another person.

For teachers: a person or thing that is highly similar to another; also, a highly skilled competitor who enters a contest under false pretences to gain an advantage. Often used in the phrase 'dead ringer' to describe a perfect physical resemblance.

## Examples

- He is a dead ringer for that famous actor.
- The other team brought in a ringer from the semi-pro league just to win the local charity tournament.
- Suspicions arose when the supposedly amateur cyclist outperformed the veterans, leading the committee to investigate whether the team had recruited a ringer to secure the sponsorship prize.

## Usage notes

- Commonly appears in the idiomatic expression 'dead ringer' followed by the preposition 'for'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.