Duh!

[1214] Bingo!

🎲 Gesundheit!
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • An exclamation used when someone makes a correct guess, finds something they were looking for, or suddenly understands something.
  • Signals success, accuracy, or sudden realization.

Origin

  • Comes directly from the game of Bingo, where players shout Bingo! when they complete a winning pattern on their card.
  • The game itself gained popularity in the early 20th century, and the exclamation transferred to broader contexts of sudden success or correctness.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • That's it! / That's the one!
  • Got it!
  • Eureka! (More dramatic/classical, for discoveries)
  • Exactly! / Precisely! (For correct guesses/statements)
  • Nailed it! (Informal, for getting something perfectly right)
  • Spot on! (Especially UK/Aus, for accuracy)
  • Yes! (Simple confirmation)

Alternatives

Informal:

  • Nailed it!
  • Gotcha! (Can mean 'I understand' or 'I caught you', but sometimes 'I found it')
  • There we go! / There it is!
  • Yes! / Yesss!

More Formal:

  • Correct.
  • Precisely.
  • Exactly.
  • That is correct.

Slang/Emphatic:

  • Fuckin' A! (Vulgar, emphatic agreement/success)
  • Boom! (Exclamation of sudden success)

Situational Appropriateness

  • Generally informal to semi-formal.
  • Appropriate in most everyday situations involving guessing, finding, or solving something.
  • Might sound slightly too informal or playful in a very serious or formal context, where Precisely or Correct might be preferred.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Meaning is generally clear. Learners should understand it signals a definite yes or found it moment.

Examples

  • Correct Guess: Person A: Are you thinking of the number 7? Person B: Bingo!
  • Finding Something: Ah, bingo! Here are my keys.
  • Sudden Understanding: So if I connect this wire here... Bingo! The light comes on!
  • Identifying Something: Is that the person you were talking about? Bingo. That's him.

Dialogue

Context

Detective: So the thief entered through the window, crossed the room... wait. What's this mark on the floor? A specific brand of shoe sole? Let's check the suspect's shoes... (Checks shoes) Bingo! Match.

Officer: Excellent! We've got him.

(Later)

Friend 1: I can't remember the name of that actor... he was in that space movie...

Friend 2: Was it Chris Pratt?

Friend 1: No... the older guy... Harrison Ford?

Friend 2: Matt Damon?

Friend 1: Bingo! Matt Damon! Thanks!

Social Media Examples

  • Comment on a quiz: Question 5 was tough, but I got it! Bingo!
  • Chat: Trying to remember that song... lyrics are 'never gonna give you up'... Rick Astley? BINGO! 😂
  • Tweet: Spent ages looking for that specific reference in the book. Found it! Bingo. #research

Response Patterns

  • The person who made the guess or prompted the find usually feels validated (I knew it!, Great!).
  • Listeners acknowledge the success (Ah, good!, Finally!, Nice one!).

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

  • After a correct guess: The conversation might explore why that guess was made or move to the next step.
  • After finding something: The person uses the found item or expresses relief.
  • After sudden understanding: The person might explain the connection they made or proceed with the now-understood action.

Conversation Starter

  • No. It signals the conclusion of a search or guessing process.

Intonation

  • Sharp, bright, and exclamatory, usually with stress on the first syllable (BINgo!).
  • Often has a falling intonation, signaling definitive success.

Generation Differences

  • Widely understood and used across generations. Its origin from the game makes it familiar to many age groups.

Regional Variations

  • Common in all major English-speaking regions.
Duh!
🎲 Gesundheit!