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Meetings & Communicationpingverb · /pɪŋ/

How to Say "ping" at Work

In simple English

In tech workplaces, 'ping' is used when you need to contact someone quickly without scheduling a formal meeting. It typically happens through instant messaging platforms like Slack, Teams, or email. For example, you might ping someone to ask a quick question, check their availability, or request a fast response. The term comes from network technology but has become standard workplace vocabulary meaning a brief, direct contact. Pinging is casual and expects a relatively quick reply, but not necessarily immediate. It is lighter than scheduling a meeting but more direct than email.

Quick definition of ping as a communication method used in tech teams and workplaces.

Part of Meetings & Standups in the Knowledge Base.

At a glanceCEFR B2
Commonness5/5
Versatility4/5
FormalityCasualFormalCasual
Spoken ↔ WrittenSpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ DiplomaticDirectDiplomaticDirect
RegionUS and UK
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Say it like this

✓Let me ping you on Slack about this.
✓I will ping the team lead to confirm the deadline.
✓Can you ping me when you have the results?

Real examples

in a standup

"I pinged the backend team yesterday about the database performance issue."

in a Slack message

"I am going to ping the product manager to see if we have approval for this feature."

in a team meeting

"Let me ping everyone about the schedule change before we finalize the plan."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Do not confuse with network 'ping' command. In communication, it means to contact someone briefly, not to test connectivity. Avoid using it for formal requests.

✕I pinged the entire database to check for errors.
✓I pinged the database administrator to check for errors.— Ping refers to contacting people, not testing technical systems (that would be a network ping command).
✕I will ping you a formal meeting request.
✓I will send you a formal meeting request. I will ping you quickly about this on chat.— Ping is too casual for formal requests; use 'send' or 'email' instead for official communications.

Other forms

verb

ping

"I will ping you tomorrow about the test results."

verb

pinged

"She pinged me last week regarding the deployment."

verb

pinging

"He is pinging the team about the meeting time."

noun

ping

"Give me a ping when you finish the code review."

Often used with

ping someone on SlackUse this phrase when contacting via a specific chat platform.
ping the teamContact multiple people at once about something.
ping meRequest that someone reach out to you quickly.
quick pingEmphasize that it is a very brief contact.

Similar words

reach outMore formal than ping; used for first contact or important messages.
messageBroader term; ping is more casual and faster.
contactMore formal; ping implies quick and informal.
check inSimilar meaning but often implies a follow-up rather than an initial contact.

Opposites

ignoresilence

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your colleague is working on code you need. How do you contact them?

Complete the sentence

2. I will _______ the designer to see if the mockups are ready.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses 'ping' incorrectly?

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite using 'ping': 'I need to send a quick message to ask if the database migration is complete.'

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "ping" in a standup this week?

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