doorbell

USAGE SUMMARY

'doorbell' is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is used to refer to the button or part of the door which, when pressed, makes a ringing sound. For example: "I heard the doorbell ringing, so I knew the pizza delivery was here!".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I just noticed the other day the doorbell ringing.

The Guardian

After police unlawfully visited me at my home following a protest to tell me they were "watching me", I still jump every time my doorbell rings.

The Guardian - Opinion

Each room too has a doorbell, which rings out birdsong every time a maid comes (and come they do, about four times a day, with towels, pillows, soap, and pillows again) but it's often drowned by the actual birdsong outside.

The Guardian - Travel

He never had visitors, and "when we rang the doorbell, he never opened", says one neighbour.

The Guardian

Although an acquaintance, who also happened to be a member of the Nazi party, had rung their doorbell at 7.30 that morning and warned them that their business was due to be attacked that evening, Mr and Mrs Izbicki had refused to be intimidated and had gone to work as normal.

The Guardian

I practise in a large, bustling unit where the sounds of the doorbell, fridge alarms, emergency bells and birthing women create a glorious symphony.

The Guardian

Thank god, at that point the doorbell rang and the paramedics walked in to collect the baby as she shot out on to the floor.

The Guardian - Opinion

The block of flats in which she lives has fewer tenants than it did, for security reasons; so her doorbell, marked discreetly with her husband's name, Sauer, sits in a row with others marked Ganz, Schön, Lustig, Schön, Ganz (roughly translated: really quite funny, quite really).

The Economist

It was also, he thought, permissible to reduce the suspect's feelings of guilt by minimising the moral seriousness of his offence.The interrogator could say to a suspected wife-killer, for instance, "Joe, as recently as last week my wife had me so angry with her nagging that I felt I couldn't stand it any more, but just as she was at her worst the doorbell rang and we had some out-of-town company.

The Economist

That's where we need to win it back .But later in her piece, Ms Talbot tags along with a group of marriage-equality activists going door-to-door in a conservative Orange County neighbourhood, and her account makes clear what anyone who has done this kind of work probably knows: it's impossible to convince someone who doesn't agree with you of anything by ringing their doorbell and talking to them.

The Economist

No more messy piles of video cassettes, no more fiddling around with the clock on the video recorder, no more missing an episode of a favourite show by mistake (TiVo automatically records the whole season) and with the ability to put a live broadcast programme on pause no more missing the crucial moment in the soap if the doorbell rings.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In creative writing, use the sound of a "doorbell" as a symbol of interruption, anticipation, or arrival to add layers of meaning to your narrative.

Common error

Avoid using "doorbell" as a verb in formal writing. While "doorbelling" is sometimes used to describe canvassing, it's generally better to use more formal alternatives like "canvassing" or "going door-to-door".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "doorbell" is as a noun, referring to a device used to signal someone's presence at a door. Ludwig confirms that it's a correct and usable word. Examples include "the "doorbell" rang" and "press the "doorbell""

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "doorbell" is a commonly used noun referring to a signaling device at a door. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely accepted. Usage analysis reveals it is primarily found in news and media contexts. While "doorbell" mainly functions as a noun, it's important to avoid using it as a verb in formal writing, opting for alternatives like "canvass". Semantically related terms include "door chime" and "entrance bell". The best practice involves using vivid verbs to describe the sound of the "doorbell".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

press the doorbell

Specifies the physical action of pushing the doorbell button.

front door bell

Specifies the location of the bell on the front door.

door chime

Focuses on the sound produced by the doorbell.

ring the bell

Describes the action of activating the doorbell.

entrance bell

Emphasizes the bell's location at the entrance.

buzzer

A simpler, often electric, sound-making device used for signaling at a door.

door knocker

Refers to a traditional alternative to a doorbell, used for knocking on a door.

door signal

A general term for a device that signals someone at the door.

sound the chime

Highlights the act of making the chime sound.

call button

Emphasizes the button's function of calling someone's attention.

FAQs

How to use "doorbell" in a sentence?

You can use "doorbell" in a sentence to describe the object itself, such as "The "doorbell" was broken", or the action of using it, like "I heard the "doorbell" ring".

What can I say instead of "doorbell"?

You can use alternatives like "door chime", "entrance bell", or "door knocker", depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "doorbell rings" or "doorbell is ringing"?

Both "doorbell rings" and "doorbell is ringing" are correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "Doorbell rings" suggests a habitual action, while "doorbell is ringing" describes an action happening now.

What's the difference between "doorbell" and "buzzer"?

"Doorbell" typically refers to a device that produces a chime or ringing sound, while "buzzer" usually describes a device that makes a buzzing sound. They both serve the same function of alerting someone to a visitor.