ringer: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, idiomatic, technical (telephony)
Quick answer
What does “ringer” mean?
A person or thing that closely resembles another, often used in deception.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person or thing that closely resembles another, often used in deception; also, a device that produces a ringing sound.
In sports, a highly skilled player brought in under false pretenses; in technology, a device that alerts by sound; in idioms, to be an exact match or perfect fit.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use all senses. 'Ringer' in the 'similar person' sense is slightly more frequent in American English. The phrase 'dead ringer' is common in both.
Connotations
In sports contexts, 'ringer' carries strong negative connotations of cheating in both varieties. In telephony, it's neutral technical terminology.
Frequency
The 'similar person' sense appears more in American media and conversation. British English may use 'lookalike' or 'double' more frequently for the same concept.
Grammar
How to Use “ringer” in a Sentence
be a ringer for [someone]put a ringer in [a team]turn off the ringerVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “ringer” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He was rung up by mistake.
- The bells were rung at noon.
American English
- She rang the doorbell.
- They rang in the new year.
adjective
British English
- This is a ringer situation – they look identical.
- The ringer device needs repair.
American English
- That's a ringer deal if I ever saw one.
- Check the ringer volume on your cell.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; might appear in discussions about fraud or impersonation.
Academic
Limited to linguistics or sports studies discussing cheating.
Everyday
Common in informal conversation about lookalikes or phone settings.
Technical
Standard in telephony for the sound-producing component of a phone.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “ringer”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “ringer”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “ringer”
- Confusing 'ringer' with 'wringer' (as in 'put through the wringer').
- Using 'ringer' for any substitute rather than a deceptive one.
- Misspelling as 'ringger'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'dead' here means 'absolute' or 'complete', so 'dead ringer' means an exact lookalike.
Rarely. Even when admiring a similarity ('She's a ringer for Audrey Hepburn'), there's a slight nuance of substitution rather than pure compliment.
An impostor pretends to be someone else for gain. A ringer may simply resemble someone closely, or be a skilled substitute in sports, not necessarily pretending to be a specific person.
It's a common eggcorn. The correct phrase is 'through the wringer' (from a clothes wringer), meaning a difficult experience. However, 'ringer' is sometimes used informally in this expression.
A person or thing that closely resembles another, often used in deception.
Ringer is usually informal, idiomatic, technical (telephony) in register.
Ringer: in British English it is pronounced /ˈrɪŋə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈrɪŋər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “dead ringer”
- “ringer for the cash”
- “through the ringer (variant of 'wringer')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a bell RINGER who looks exactly like your friend – a 'ringer' rings bells and is a 'ringer' for your friend.
Conceptual Metaphor
SIMILARITY IS IDENTITY (dead ringer), DECEPTION IS SUBSTITUTION (sports ringer), ALERT IS SOUND (phone ringer).
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'ringer' NOT imply deception?