doorbell

noun

door·​bell ˈdȯr-ˌbel How to pronounce doorbell (audio)
: a bell or set of chimes to be rung usually by a push button at an outer door

Examples of doorbell in a Sentence

We rang the doorbell until someone came to let us in.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Owens was a Black mother shot by a white woman through a locked door, mirroring similar national cases where Black individuals were shot under stand your ground laws while doing things like jogging or ringing unfamiliar doorbells. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025 The nightmarish doorbell cam footage shows one of the trio making a throat cutting gesture. John Toher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025 Then in 2021, Thomas sent Stewart a video from the Ring camera on his doorbell. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025 The doorbell rings and her father-in-law Jean and brother-in-law Adrien, pastries in hand, join her and her partner Kevin to sit down and watch the game. Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for doorbell

Word History

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of doorbell was in 1807

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doorbell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doorbell. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

doorbell

noun
door·​bell -ˌbel How to pronounce doorbell (audio)
: a bell, gong, or set of chimes to be rung usually by a push button at an outside door

More from Merriam-Webster on doorbell

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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