chime

¹ American  

[chahym] / tʃaɪm /

noun

1. an apparatus for striking a bell so as to produce a musical sound, as one at the front door of a house by which visitors announce their presence.

2. Often chimes

   1. a set of bells or of slabs of metal, stone, wood, etc., producing musical tones when struck.

   2. a musical instrument consisting of such a set, especially a glockenspiel.

   3. the musical tones thus produced.

   4. carillon.

3. harmonious sound in general; music; melody.

4. harmonious relation; accord.

   the battling duo, in chime at last.

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verb (used without object)

• chimes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• chimed,
  past participle,  past
• chiming
  present participle

1. to sound harmoniously or in chimes as a set of bells.

   The church bells chimed at noon.

2. to produce a musical sound by striking a bell, gong, etc.; ring chimes.

   The doorbell chimed.

3. to speak in cadence or singsong.

4. to harmonize; agree.

   The scenery chimed perfectly with the play's eerie mood.

verb (used with object)

• chimes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• chimed,
  past participle,  past
• chiming
  present participle

1. to give forth (music, sound, etc.), as a bell or bells.

2. to strike (a bell, set of bells, etc.) so as to produce musical sound.

3. to put, bring, indicate, announce, etc., by chiming.

   Bells chimed the hour.

4. to utter or repeat in cadence or singsong.

   The class chimed a greeting to the new teacher.

verb phrase

1. chime in

   1. to break suddenly and unwelcomely into a conversation, as to express agreement or voice an opinion.

   2. to harmonize with, as in singing.

   3. to be consistent or compatible; agree.

      The new building will not chime in with the surrounding architecture.

chime ² American  

[chahym] / tʃaɪm /

Also chimb,

noun

1. the edge or brim of a cask, barrel, or the like, formed by the ends of the staves projecting beyond the head or bottom.

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chime ¹ British  

/ tʃaɪm /

noun

1. an individual bell or the sound it makes when struck

2. (often plural) the machinery employed to sound a bell in this way

3. Also called: bell. a percussion instrument consisting of a set of vertical metal tubes of graduated length, suspended in a frame and struck with a hammer

4. a harmonious or ringing sound

   the chimes of children's laughter

5. agreement; concord

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verb

1. 1. to sound (a bell) or (of a bell) to be sounded by a clapper or hammer

   2. to produce (music or sounds) by chiming

2. (tr) to indicate or show (time or the hours) by chiming

3. (tr) to summon, announce, or welcome by ringing bells

4. to agree or harmonize

5. to speak or recite in a musical or rhythmic manner

chime ² British  

/ tʃaɪm /

noun

1. the projecting edge or rim of a cask or barrel

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chimer
  noun
• unchiming
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• chiming
  present
• chimed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• chime
  simple
• chimes
  simple
• have chimed
  perfect
• has chimed
  perfect
• am chiming
  progressive
• are chiming
  progressive
• is chiming
  progressive
• have been chiming
  perfect progressive
• has been chiming
  perfect progressive

Past

• chimed
  simple
• had chimed
  perfect
• was chiming
  progressive
• were chiming
  progressive
• had been chiming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will chime
  simple
• will have chimed
  perfect
• will be chiming
  progressive
• will have been chiming
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of chime¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English chymbe belle “cymbal, chime,” literally, “chime bell,” by false analysis of chimbel, chimble, from Old English cimbal, cimbala, or from Old French chimbe, variant of cimbe, cimble cymbal

Origin of chime²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English chimb(e) “rim of a barrel”; compare Old English cimbing “joining, joint,” cim-stānas “bases of a pillar”; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch kimme “edge”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chime chimes chimed chiming

Time stands still at the nearby burnt-out house of the Siman Tov family, where a wind chime dangles by the door.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Martin's words, Cooper-Lesadd said, "just completely did not chime with the type of person that I am and the values that I have".

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

“I noticed that William would always chime in, make sure that I didn’t get to speak with her by myself or by herself,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026

Late in the album, “Spirit Showing” features a twinkly keyboard that brings to mind the dusty chime of the celesta, as if the song takes place in a dim space illuminated by candlelight.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Our father would be home soon, but she knew Omar didn’t chime his bicycle bell three times unless it was important.

From "Amal Unbound" by Aisha Saeed

“OK, can I ask the question? Can I get right in here? Because I want to know,” Phair chimes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

Spiritual jazz and psychedelic soul are cornerstones of her sound, along with new-age accouterments like prayer bowls and chimes blended with instruments including Fender Rhodes keyboards and vibraphone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

The theory chimes with the cause taken up by Lamplugh's parents, who set up the Suzy Lamplugh Trust after she vanished.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

I’d be curious if Peters chimes in on the question, having changed his mind on acquisitions not long ago.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

The elevator chimes softly, and the door opens.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Many others in the industry chimed in to say they thought the percentage was even higher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

Anthropic safety executive Evan Hubinger chimed in on X, estimating the risk at more than 10 percent over the next decade.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

I think his son Rex Jones chimed in.

From Slate ● Jul. 12, 2026

Another chimed in: “Have fun! I love RV’ing. I haven’t been in about 15 years now, but I’m retired now. I really should start again!!!”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026

“I made brownies,” Kate chimed sweetly, trying to entice me to have dinner with them.

From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings

And finally, they’ll discuss why Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s latest market tinkering has everyone chiming in.

From Slate ● Aug. 29, 2026

He went on to form The Smiths with Morrissey in 1982, defining an entire era of indie music with his intricate, chiming tones - rooted in British pop, while stubbornly avoiding cliché.

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026

In the years that followed, whenever she popped up in the news, Trump couldn’t stop himself from chiming in.

From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026

In 1996, the Mavericks won a Grammy Award for “Here Comes the Rain,” a chiming roots-rock number from their album “Music for All Occasions,” which featured appearances by Trisha Yearwood and the accordionist Flaco Jiménez.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 9, 2025

In the silence that drops over us, the sound of my phone chiming from my desk is so loud, we both startle.

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone