What does "clang" mean?
A loud, ringing sound, like that made by free-hanging metal objects striking each other.
Clang
/klæŋ/ intj, noun, verb
intj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A loud, ringing sound, like that made by free-hanging metal objects striking each other.
- Grammar: clang is listed as intj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: clangor, clank, clash, crash.
- Useful contrasts: agree, croon, fit.
- Usage evidence: Meanwhile a mingled murmur through the street / rolls onward – wails of anguish, shrieks of fear –, / and though my father's mansion stood secrete, / embowered in foliage, nearer and more near / peals the dire clang of arms, and loud and clear, / borne on fierce echoes that in tumult blend, / war-shout and wail come thickening on the ear.
How to use "clang"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "clang" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "clang" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "clang" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "clang" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "clang" is acting as intj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "clangor" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "clang", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A loud, ringing sound, like that made by free-hanging metal objects striking each other.
"Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer Came down upon her head Clang, clang, Maxwell's silver hammer Made sure that she was dead"
- 2 a loud resonant repeating noise wordnet
- 3 Quality of tone.
- 4 The cry of some birds, including the crane and the goose.
- 5 A word or phrase linked only by sound and not by meaning, characteristic of some mental disorders.
"For much of this day, Mrs Y. wrote in her diary, covering page after page in a rapid scrawl full of paligraphic repetitions, puns, clangs, and violent, perseverative crossings-out […]"
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Alternative form of klang. alt-of, alternative
Verb
- 1 To strike (objects) together so as to produce a clang. transitive
"Around, the first Curetes (order solemn / To thy foreknowing mother!) trod tumultuous / Their mystic dance, and clanged their sounding arms; [...]"
- 2 make a loud noise wordnet
- 3 To give out a clang; to resound. intransitive
"Middlesbrough will wonder whether it might have been different if the volley that Jelle Vossen slashed towards John Ruddy’s net after nine minutes had been a couple inches lower rather than clanging off the crossbar. They should not dwell on that moment too long, however."
- 4 To utter a word or phrase linked only by sound and not by meaning, characteristic of some mental disorders.
Intj
- 1 Imitative of a loud metallic ringing sound.
- 2 Said after someone has name-dropped (mentioned a famous person with whom they are acquainted). humorous
Example
"Meanwhile a mingled murmur through the street / rolls onward – wails of anguish, shrieks of fear –, / and though my father's mansion stood secrete, / embowered in foliage, nearer and more near / peals the dire clang of arms, and loud and clear, / borne on fierce echoes that in tumult blend, / war-shout and wail come thickening on the ear."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "clang"?
Common synonyms include: clangor, clank, clash, crash, animal noise, banging.
How do you use "clang" in a sentence?
Meanwhile a mingled murmur through the street / rolls onward – wails of anguish, shrieks of fear –, / and though my father's mansion stood secrete, / embowered in foliage, nearer and more near / peals the dire clang of arms, and loud and clear, / borne on fierce echoes that in tumult blend, / war-shout and wail come thickening on the ear.
How do you pronounce "clang"?
Pronounced /klæŋ/.
Etymology
1570, of imitative origin. Compare also Saterland Frisian Kloang, West Frisian klank, Dutch klank, German Klang (from klingen), Danish and Swedish klang, Latin clangere (“to resound”) (which probably influenced it).