doorknob

American

[dawr-nob, dohr-] / ˈdɔrˌnɒb, ˈdoʊr- /

noun

the handle or knob by which a door is opened or closed.

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.

Etymology

Origin of doorknob

First recorded in 1840–50; door + knob

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.

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

Think of it like cancer leaving a fingerprint on the doorknob of a crime scene.

From Science Daily • May 6, 2024

I rattled off some more: “Pull out a hair....Sit the three thickest volumes of the encyclopedia on your tongue....Sleep all night with erasers up your nose....Wrap your mouth around the doorknob and slam it shut....”

From "Fourth Grade Rats" by Jerry Spinelli

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023