Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
clanking

clanking

4.9
Making a hard, sharp sound like metal hitting metal
  • adjective
  • /ˈklæŋkɪŋ/
translation icon : metálico
  • He winced at the clanking noise of the metal door slamming shut.

Examples

  • About two nights later, I awoke to clanking sounded like tools and hammers tapping.

  • The clanking of pots and pans in the kitchen signaled that dinner was almost ready.

  • As the train passed, I heard the clanking of metal wheels against the tracks.

Synonyms

clattery
vsclanking
1 7.0

A continuous rattling sound that hard things make when they hit each other

is a single sharp event rather than ongoing rattling
clankety
vsclanking
8.7

It makes a series of loud metal clanking noises

is a single sharp strike rather than repeated noises
clackety
vsclanking
7.4

Making quick, sharp clicking sounds like old train wheels

is a heavy nonresonant tone rather than quick light clicking

Antonyms

silent
257 1.0

Not making any sound

soft
182 1.0

Gentle and not strong for light or sound

How Loud

deafening
9 3.5
clangorous
1 8.9
clanking
4.9

Surface Forms

clanking positive

Morphology

clanking = clank (transparent) = clank + ing

A regular adjectival participle formed from the verb 'clank' with the productive suffix '-ing', meaning 'making the sound of clank'.

Etymology

The word clanking comes from the sound word clank, a word that copies a sudden hard metal 'sound', like the 'clang' of armor or pipes. So, clanking is used for things that make a sharp, metallic 'sound'.