click
1 Americannoun
-
a slight, sharp sound.
At the click of the latch, the dog barked.
-
a small device for preventing backward movement of a mechanism, as a detent or pawl.
-
Phonetics. any one of a variety of ingressive, usually implosive, speech sounds, phonemic in some languages, produced by suction occlusion and plosive or affricative release.
-
any one of a variety of familiar sounds used in calling or urging on horses or other animals, in expressing reprimand or sympathy, or produced in audible kissing.
-
Computers. the act of rapidly depressing and releasing a button on a mouse or other input device, usually the left-hand button, as to select an icon.
verb (used without object)
-
clicks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
clicked,
past participle, past
-
clicking
present participle
-
to emit or make a slight, sharp sound, or series of such sounds, as by the cocking of a pistol.
The door clicked shut.
-
Informal.
-
to succeed; make a hit.
If the play clicks, the producer will be rich.
-
to fit together; function well together.
They get along in public, but their personalities don't really click.
-
to become intelligible.
-
-
Computers. to rapidly depress and release one of the buttons on a mouse or other input device, usually the left-hand button.
Just click on the link to get to the site.
verb (used with object)
-
clicks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
clicked,
past participle, past
-
clicking
present participle
-
to cause to click.
-
to strike together with a click.
He clicked his heels and saluted.
-
Computers.
-
to select (a screen object) by rapidly depressing and releasing one of the buttons on a mouse or other input device, usually the left-hand button.
Click “OK” to continue .
-
to rapidly depress and release (a button on a mouse or other input device).
Click the trackpad button once.
-
noun
noun
-
a short light often metallic sound
-
-
the locking member of a ratchet mechanism, such as a pawl or detent
-
the movement of such a mechanism between successive locking positions
-
-
phonetics any of various stop consonants, found in Khoisan and as borrowings in southern Bantu languages, that are produced by the suction of air into the mouth
-
slang a kilometre
-
computing an act of pressing and releasing a button on a mouse
verb
-
to make or cause to make a clicking sound
to click one's heels
-
(usually foll by on) computing to press and release (a button on a mouse) or to select (a particular function) by pressing and releasing a button on a mouse
-
slang (intr) to be a great success
that idea really clicked
-
informal (intr) to become suddenly clear
it finally clicked when her name was mentioned
-
slang (intr) to go or fit together with ease
they clicked from their first meeting
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
clicksimple
-
clickssimple
-
have clickedperfect
-
has clickedperfect
-
am clickingprogressive
-
are clickingprogressive
-
is clickingprogressive
-
have been clickingperfect progressive
-
has been clickingperfect progressive
Past
-
clickedsimple
-
had clickedperfect
-
was clickingprogressive
-
were clickingprogressive
-
had been clickingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of click1
First recorded in 1575–85; perhaps imitative, but perhaps from Dutch klikk (noun), klikken (verb)
Origin of click2
First recorded in 1950–55; originally U.S. military slang; further origin unclear
Explanation
A click is a sound like a sharp tap. Your dog might start barking excitedly every evening when he hears the click of your key turning in the lock. And you might click your computer mouse when you are excited about getting to another page on the web. Click is also a verb, meaning to make the sound of a click: "Don't click your tongue at me — I can have ice cream for dinner if I want to!" You can use the word in a figurative way as well, to mean "fall suddenly into place," as when a confusing math problem finally clicks for you. Increasingly, to click is to tap on a computer icon with a mouse: "Click through to my new website!"
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Among 12 local businesses whose Google ads he manages, the median business now pays more than twice as much per click as it did in summer 2023, and 11 of the 12 pay more.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 31, 2026
"Put your heart out there because one day it's going to click."
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
I zoomed in on a thumbnail, tapped to click on a headline.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
To search for a listening bar near you, click here.
From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026
I click redial as Dad is led into a swarm of navy jackets.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Data from marketing firm Grey Matter supports these patterns, revealing that business-to-business search clicks cost roughly 21% more from April through September 2026 than a year earlier.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 31, 2026
Her face and name are used for clicks by all the media, present company included.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Unlike consumers whose mouse clicks and searches can be easily tracked, it’s often unclear whom outside agents are acting on behalf of.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
In Arkansas, all it took was a few clicks on the Arkansas secretary of state website, $45 and an American flag to form a bona fide private school with the Arkansas Times.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
A series of clicks and a voice emerges.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
John's title prediction: I don't actually think we have clicked yet this season and if we find our gear then it is going to be hard to stop us.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
The “sparkle” icon was at the vanguard of this trend, a magical-looking diamond that suggested something incredible was behind the door if you just clicked that button.
From Slate ● Oct. 14, 2026
She clicked immediately, and it arrived three weeks later in great condition.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Clad in a blue suit and squinting at a computer screen in his office, Putin leaned forward and clicked his mouse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Once the lock clicked, I scratched my guard kitty under his chin.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
You can pre-order your copy by clicking here.
From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026
But the man on loan at Sassuolo believes things are clicking, and it's an opportunity for him to make his mark.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
Even without Ohtani, the Dodgers lineup has been clicking.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
You don’t enjoy clicking around a bunch looking for a table, so you instruct an agent to do it for you.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
The only sounds are the heater clicking on, sighing warm air into the room.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
