clank

1 of 2

verb

clanked; clanking; clanks

intransitive verb

1
: to make a clank or series of clanks
the radiator hissed and clanked
2
: to go with or as if with a clank
tanks clanking through the streets

transitive verb

: to cause to clank
clankingly adverb

clank

2 of 2

noun

: a sharp brief metallic ringing sound

Examples of clank in a Sentence

Verb The radiator hissed and clanked. The empty can clanked along the sidewalk. a ghost clanking its chains Noun the car is making a funny clank, and this can't be good
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Then DeMar DeRozan got the final shot as his heave fell out of bounce with Durant guarding him nearly banked in the basket before clanking off the rim. The Arizona Republic, 23 Jan. 2024 Over the next five minutes, the Aztecs missed 7 of 8 shots, had five turnovers and clanked the front end of a one-and-one free throw. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2024 Orchestrated by just the sound of pans clanking, whisks whipping and the hushed quizzing of Pauline’s developing taste buds, Eugénie puts together a meal for Dodin and their guests. Amanda Luberto, The Arizona Republic, 14 Feb. 2024 Xavier's rebounding issues are a 'major problem.' Xavier head coach Sean Miller was blunt about why Xavier came up short against Villanova, a loss that went down to the wire with a pair of potential game-winning shots clanking off the rim. Shelby Dermer, The Enquirer, 5 Jan. 2024 Goff hit him in the hands with a pass as the receiver leaned to the grass, and the ball clanked away. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2024 LeBron James, amazing again with 16 points in the final dozen minutes, clanked a foolish three-point shot. Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 23 Nov. 2023 Don’t forget to look out for the clanking bucket fountain, an icon of the city. Petrina Darrah, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2023 At City Hall, hundreds of mechanics, gardners, trash haulers and other city workers — many in uniform — gathered at the steps blowing sound makers, clanking cow bells and chanting. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2023
Noun
At Vigilante Kitchen and Bar, a shiny, stainless steel tray with three compartments clanks onto the table. Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 Making fences with hanging metal strips that clink and clank in the wind, also known as Kasaine fences, makes for a good noise deterrent. Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 30 Oct. 2023 The officials ruled that Hohn was fouled against SDSU’s press, but the 73.6 percent career shooter went clank, clank. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Dec. 2023 The clank and ratchet of metal on metal and the thunk of a round being rammed into the breech all recalled the mechanics of ancient cannon and trebuchet, despite the advanced targeting hardware. Hope Hodge Seck, Popular Mechanics, 21 Aug. 2023 In an effort to prove its cleverness, Reptile clanks, rattles and stumbles in its second half. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 Out came inert and harmless scrap metal, falling off a conveyor belt into an ordinary brown dumpster with a resounding clank. John Ismay, New York Times, 6 July 2023 Donkey carts clank, and bicycles whistle; loud jubilation and anguish mark weddings and funerals. Ziad Fahmy, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021 And so the Brown grads drank, the clank clank of the gavel echoing over the din of chatter and 2000s pop punk. Hau Chu, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clank.' 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

probably imitative

First Known Use

Verb

1656, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1656, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clank was in 1656

Dictionary Entries Near clank

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

clank

1 of 2 verb
: to make or move with a clank or series of clanks

clank

2 of 2 noun
: a sharp short ringing sound

More from Merriam-Webster on clank

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