Clank is a loud, sharp, metallic sound, like when a heavy chain drops on concrete or when someone accidentally bangs two pots together. It's the harsh, ringing noise that metal makes when it strikes something hard.

You might hear a clank when a wrench falls in a garage, when a knight in armor moves in a movie, or when someone drops a metal lunch tray in the cafeteria. The sound is unmistakable: harder and more jarring than a gentle tink or clink, but not quite as resonant as a deep clang.

The word itself sounds like what it describes, which makes it fun to use. A writer might describe chains clanking in a dungeon, or pipes clanking inside old walls. When machinery isn't working smoothly, you might hear suspicious clanking noises that suggest something metal is loose or broken.

As a verb, clank describes making this sound: “The gate clanked shut behind them.” As a noun, it's the sound itself: “We heard a loud clank downstairs.”