chime

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈchīm 

: the edge or rim of a cask or drum

chime

2 of 3

verb

chimed; chiming

intransitive verb

1

a

: to make a musical and especially a harmonious sound

b

: to make the sounds of a chime

2

: to be or act in accord

transitive verb

1

: to cause to sound musically by striking

2

: to produce by chiming

3

: to call or indicate by chiming

the clock chimed midnight

4

: to utter repetitively : din sense 2

chimer noun

chime

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

: an apparatus for chiming a bell or set of bells

2

a

: a musically tuned set of bells

b

: one of a set of objects giving a bell-like sound when struck

3

a

: the sound of a set of bells

—usually plural

b

: a musical sound suggesting that of bells

4

: accord, harmony

… such happy chime of fact and theory.

—Henry Maudsley

Synonyms of chime

Verb

• blend
• correspond
• correlate
• agree
• harmonize
• coordinate

Noun (2)

• rattle
• clatter
• tinkle
• jingle
• clink
• ring

Examples of chime in a Sentence

Verb

The music and the mood chimed well together.

the restaurant's manor-house decor chimes perfectly with the chef's traditionalist take on haute cuisine

Noun (2)

the welcoming chimes on our doorbell

firmly believes that science and religion can keep chime with one another

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The slow chimes of Big Ben sounded, and then the newsreader’s solemn voice with the headlines. — Helen Simpson, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026

Then came a symphony of chimes, crystal bowls, wave drums and rain sticks. — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Verb

Two bells chimed during the ceremony and there was a wreath-laying at the Flight 93 memorial. — Kaanita Iyer, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026

The latter provides enough power in grande sonnerie mode for a total of 616 notes (equivalent to seven hours and 30 minutes of continuous chiming) and in petite sonnerie mode for a maximum of 992 notes—equivalent to 32 hours of chiming. — Carol Besler, Robb Report, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English chimbe, from Old English cimb-; akin to Middle Dutch kimme edge of a cask

Noun (2)

Middle English, cymbal, probably from Anglo-French *chimbe, cime, from Latin cymbalum cymbal

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing chime

• chime in
• chime in with
• wind chime

Rhymes for chime

• chyme
• climb
• clime
• crime
• dime
• grime
• lime
• lyme
• mime
• prime
• rhyme
• slime

Kids Definition

chime

1 of 2 noun

ˈchīm 

1

: a set of bells tuned to play music

2

: the sound of a set of bells

—usually used in plural

chime

2 of 2 verb

chimed; chiming

1

: to make the sounds of a chime

2

: to call or indicate by chiming