adj · noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ɒnˈɡəʊ.ɪŋ/
British, Southern, Standard:/ɔnˈɡəwɪŋ/
Northern-US, cot-caught-merger:/ɑnˈɡoʊ.ɪŋ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ɔnˈɡoʊ.ɪŋ/Southern US, Midland US, without the cot–caught merger
Australian:/ɔnˈɡəʉ.ɪŋ/
New-Zealand:/ɒnˈɡɐʉ.əŋ/
New-Zealand:[ɔ̟nˈɡɐʉ̯.əŋ]
Midlands, Northern-England:/ɒnˈɡəʊ.ɪŋɡ/without the NG-coalescence
Scotland:/ɔnˈɡo.ɪŋ/
Wales:/ɒnˈɡoː.ɪŋ/without the toe–tow merger
CMU ARPABET:AA1 N G OW2 IH0 NG
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:AO1 N G OW2 IH0 NG
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Continuing, permanent, lasting.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Presently or currently happening; being in progress.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Something that is going on; a happening.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
present participle and gerund of ongo
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present, rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective satellite
Meaning 5
currently happening
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an ongoing economic crisis
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: on-going
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From on + going, related to the phrasal verb go on.
Across languages
Translations
63 source translations are retained for this English entry.