clack
Americanverb (used without object)
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clacks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
clacked,
past participle, past
-
clacking
present participle
-
to make a quick, sharp sound, or a succession of such sounds, as by striking or cracking.
The loom clacked busily under her expert hands.
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to talk rapidly and continually or with sharpness and abruptness; chatter.
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to cluck or cackle.
verb (used with object)
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clacks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
clacked,
past participle, past
-
clacking
present participle
-
to utter by clacking.
-
to cause to clack.
He clacked the cup against the saucer.
noun
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clacks
plural
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a clacking sound.
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something that clacks, as a rattle.
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rapid, continual talk; chatter.
verb
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to make or cause to make a sound like that of two pieces of wood hitting each other
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(intr) to jabber
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a less common word for cluck
noun
-
a short sharp sound
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a person or thing that produces this sound
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chatter
-
Also called: clack valve. a simple nonreturn valve using either a hinged flap or a ball
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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clacksimple
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clackssimple
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have clackedperfect
-
has clackedperfect
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am clackingprogressive
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are clackingprogressive
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is clackingprogressive
-
have been clackingperfect progressive
-
has been clackingperfect progressive
Past
-
clackedsimple
-
had clackedperfect
-
was clackingprogressive
-
were clackingprogressive
-
had been clackingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of clack
1200–50; Middle English clacken; imitative
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:
There is the intermittent purr of generators, dogs barking, and, from time to time, the dry clack of domino tiles echoing in the street.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Imagine “the incessant clack of cowboy boots against the cobblestones” that could have been, he thinks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
I will read each new directive from my political leadership and clack away at my keyboard to implement it as best as I can.
From Slate ● Feb. 7, 2025
It's 18 January 1976 and the clack of the turnstiles at Kilcohan Park is non-stop as more than 6,000 people cram their way into the home ground of Irish club Waterford FC.
From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2023
Heels clack toward us, then someone says, “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Carter, I’m April Ofrah with Just Us for Justice.”
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
The camera cuts to Elizabeth’s actual surroundings: a New York City apartment, where the radiator clacks and hisses in place of a crackling fire, and the view is brick, not snow-dusted pasture.
From Salon ● Dec. 25, 2025
It is a kitchen of clicks and clacks, of ASMR, of packets ripped open and weekly restock hauls.
From Slate ● Mar. 15, 2025
To keep the audience on its toes, some scene changes are punctuated by blinding lights and obnoxiously loud flashbulb clacks.
From New York Times ● May 24, 2024
Mottley remembers hearing the hard clicks and clacks of his typing late into the night.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2022
It is most noiseful, the air full of booms and clangs and pomps and clacks.
From "The Unfinished Angel" by Sharon Creech
When friends clacked at keyboards, examined patients, or taught middle schoolers math, I bicycled Arthur's froggy legs because humans aren't born knowing how to pass gas.
From Salon ● Nov. 27, 2022
He specializes in down-to-earth poetry, clacked out impromptu on his manual 1928 Remington Portable No. 2.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 8, 2021
Antlers clacked on antlers, cartilage snapped, and the breath of three thousand animals rose over the fence.
From Scientific American ● Nov. 18, 2019
The girls, many of them at least, took typing, where they clacked on manual typewriters that looked as if they were World War II vintage.
From New York Times ● May 31, 2019
The wintery trees clacked their branches, ticking and moaning.
From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
Then they have a bunch of specific calls they give when interacting with others to keep the interaction going longer, such as laughing during play, or teeth clacking during grooming,” Crockford said.
From Salon ● May 29, 2025
Case in point: When Oppenheimer climbs the Trinity test tower in the desert during a windstorm, King’s team added the sound of clacking cables and more.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2024
As the clacking electronic beats swept in and Lewis’ airy backing vocals signaled the crew was ready for liftoff, the crowd erupted in response.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 7, 2023
The din of clacking keyboards grew noticeably softer for a minute or two, as we all made an effort to gently swipe our keys subtly rather than banging them like we were auditioning for Stomp.
From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2023
I sink to the ground on my hands and my good knee, chains clacking as I go.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
