doorknob
Americannoun
-
doorknobs
plural
Usage
What is a doorknob? A doorknob is the knob or handle used to open and close a door. Doorknobs are common on doors, especially the inside doors of a home, such as the doors of different rooms and closets. These tend to be metal and shaped like a, well, 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. A doorknob may also have a lock or keyhole to lock the door with. Example: The mansion was so luxurious that even the doorknobs were made of solid gold.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of doorknob
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:
They don’t know where or how to grasp a doorknob, handle or door edge or how much pulling, pushing or twisting force to apply.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026
Few signs of forced entry were visible on Sunday at the singer's home apart from a broken doorknob, an AFP journalist observed.
From Barron's ● Nov. 17, 2025
I could almost hear the click of the doorknob.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2025
It was subsequently discovered that they were suffering from the effects of a chemical which had been left on the doorknob of Mr Skripal's home.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2024
Standing in the doorway, with her hand on the shiny brass doorknob, was an older woman, smartly dressed, who was smiling at the children.
From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket
She was a bag of doorknobs, but the movie camera found the gazelle inside the unicorn and captured the joy she radiated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
Updating hardware like cabinet handles, showerheads and doorknobs is an inexpensive way to personalize your space and add character, says Monique Valeris, home-design director at the Good Housekeeping Institute.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 30, 2026
A company was hired to perform a deep clean of the school’s classrooms, doorknobs and kitchen equipment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 13, 2025
Dr. Davis added, “If you are sick, avoid spreading illness by washing your hands frequently and cleaning frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches and kitchen countertops.”
From New York Times ● Jan. 18, 2024
I imagine David turning the doorknobs, needing to know what’s on the other side.
From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord
Definitions 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.
