clang

1 of 2

verb

clanged; clanging; clangs

intransitive verb

1
a
: to make a loud metallic ringing sound
anvils clanged
b
: to go with a clang
2
: to utter the characteristic harsh cry of a bird

transitive verb

: to cause to clang
clang a bell

clang

2 of 2

noun

1
: a loud ringing metallic sound
the clang of a fire alarm
2
: a harsh cry of a bird (such as a crane or goose)

Examples of clang in a Sentence

Verb His fork clanged against the plate. The prison door clanged shut. The guard clanged the door shut. Noun the horseshoe hit the stake with a satisfying clang
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Dumpsters lined the sidewalks, and metal clanged as men filled each with debris. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Feb. 2024 No score; just the sounds of butter sizzling, metal clanging on metal, wood crackling in the fire. Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024 Operating on Prisoners Early one morning in February, a guard clanged on the door of David Mustiga’s jail cell on Rikers Island. Aimee Ortiz, New York Times, 7 Dec. 2023 And what did the laconic former catcher say if the ball clanged off a catcher’s mitt? Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Oct. 2023 Tatum then came back with a three attempt that not surprisingly clanged off the rim. Gary Washburn, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Mar. 2023 Five major bridges span the Rhine here, all busy with bus, clanging tram, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic. Sue Wunder, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Dec. 2023 An array of clanging chimes and banging cymbals add punctuation to Dre’s windy wonder – an album where every little nook, cranny and noise matters. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 17 Nov. 2023 White bellbirds fill the Amazonian soundscape with a clatter of strange, clanging sounds. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2023
Noun
As a bonus, the boots help prevent spills, tip-overs, and loud clangs that teachers know all too well. Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Bsn, Parents, 10 Jan. 2024 Visitors can explore ancient streets that still echo to the clang of blacksmith hammers in Safranbolu, soak up beach life in Amasra and climb to where one of the world’s oldest monasteries clings to a cliff at Sumela. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 2 Jan. 2024 Video From The New Yorker Your Body vs. Extreme Heat To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video JUST LISTEN Alarm: This alarm clangs when your partner is rattling on about the day’s annoyances and frustrations. Bob Odenkirk, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023 Inside, the racers took in the two-story course, amid the flashing lights and clangs of a jumbo arcade. Vera Carothers, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023 The song itself is booming, comparable to the clang of a chorus of pile drivers, according to the researchers who recorded it. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2023 Meanwhile, Bryce Dessner’s bold score blurs together past and present through the incorporation of diegetic noises, so that the clang of broken glass becomes an unbearable cacophony reverberating between Barbe-Nicole’s stress now and François’ mania then. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Sep. 2023 The clip opens with Sheeran behind the bar pouring out endless shots of vodka while a bell clangs in the background at a crowded establishment. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2023 Shipyards up and down the Yangtze River, with thousands of workers, clang and rattle from dawn until far into the night. Keith Bradsher, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clang.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin clangere; akin to Greek klazein to scream, bark, Old English hliehhan to laugh

First Known Use

Verb

1576, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1557, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clang was in 1557

Dictionary Entries Near clang

Cite this Entry

“Clang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clang. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

clang

1 of 2 verb
: to make or cause to make a loud ringing sound

clang

2 of 2 noun
: a loud ringing sound like that made by pieces of metal striking together

More from Merriam-Webster on clang

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