Doorknob

//ˈdɔɹ.nɑb// noun, slang

noun, slang ·Moderate ·College level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A circular device attached to a door, the rotation of which permits the unlatching of the door.

    "A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a continuum of levers, with the axis of the latching mechanism—known as the spindle—being the fulcrum about which the turning takes place."

  2. 2
    a knob used to release the catch when opening a door (often called ‘doorhandle’ in Great Britain) wordnet
  3. 3
    A stupid person. derogatory, informal

Synonyms

All synonyms
door handledoor handledoorhandle

Example

More examples

"I tried to open the door, and the doorknob came off."

Etymology

From door + knob.

Related phrases

dead as a doorknobdeaf as a doorknobdoorknob complaintdoorknob phenomenondoorknob questiondoorknob statementdumb as a doorknobdoor handle

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.