English Reference

Word

zing

US/ˈzɪŋ/

UK/zˈɪŋ/

Definition

n. a sharp, exciting, or surprising quality that makes something more interesting. You use it to describe something that has a lot of energy or a clever twist.

n. a sharp, pungent, or exciting quality; a sudden burst of energy or cleverness. Informal in register; frequently used in culinary or creative contexts to describe a refreshing or unexpected element.

Examples

“The lemon juice gives the salad a nice zing.”

“The comedian's new routine has a zing that keeps the audience laughing from start to finish.”

“While the plot is predictable, the script provides a zing through its witty dialogue and sharp character interactions that elevate the entire production.”

Examples

simple

“The lemon juice gives the salad a nice zing.”

contextual

“The comedian's new routine has a zing that keeps the audience laughing from start to finish.”

complex

“While the plot is predictable, the script provides a zing through its witty dialogue and sharp character interactions that elevate the entire production.”

Real-World Examples

“How can you give your English learning a bit of zing?”
BBC Learning English · 28 Sept 2026

Etymology

Of onomatopoeic origin.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

English Reference