1. To produce a clear, musical ringing sound.
2. To agree or correspond with something.
3. Enter a conversation or contribute a comment, usually in the expression chime in.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- clock chimes
- chime softly
On the page
The clock chimed behind the closed door.
Word forms
- Base
- chime
- Past tense
- chimed
- Past participle
- chimed
- Present participle
- chiming
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- chime
- Present continuous
- am/is/are chiming
- Present perfect
- have/has chimed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been chiming
- Past
- chimed
- Past continuous
- was/were chiming
- Past perfect
- had chimed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been chiming
- Future
- will chime
- Future continuous
- will be chiming
- Future perfect
- will have chimed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been chiming
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Explore related collections
Usage notes
Primary category: sensory / description. Forms: chime; chimes; chimed; chimed; chiming Noun singular chime; plural chimes for a ringing sound or a set of bells. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: chimes.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.