door handle

American  

noun

Chiefly British.

door handles plural

1. doorknob.

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Usage

What is a door handle? A door handle is the handle used to open and close a door. Sometimes, it means the same thing as doorknob. But the word doorknob most often specifically refers to a handle shaped like a knob—a part that sticks out and has a rounded end. Door handles in other shapes might be called doorknobs, but it’s more likely for them to be called door handles or just handles. Another difference is that doorknobs typically turn. Door handles can turn, but they can also be fixed in place, like a vertical or horizontal bar. The term door handle can also refer to the one that’s used to open a car door. Example: I went to open the door and the door handle pulled right off—apparently its screws had gotten loose.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• door handles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of door handle

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

door handle

She said one pulled on the door handle and pounded on her window, while the other two approached and took their phones out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

The new rules stipulate that all doors except the tailgate "shall be equipped with a mechanical release exterior door handle".

From Barron's ● Feb. 3, 2026

One of the agents then tugs at the driver's side door handle.

From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2026

The 5-foot-6-inch robot shuffled to the dishwasher, pulled the door handle and slid a fork into the silverware holder.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2025

Before I even pull the door handle, I hear locks clacking.

From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes