Onomatopoeic Words: Objects and Machines

From the ping of the microwave to the buzz of the doorbell, the sounds made by the objects and machines we use are a part of modern life that we’re all accustomed to, and yes, thanks to onomatopoeia, there's a word for them!

boing
(of a tight spring) make a reverberating sound
verb: The mattress was boinging as the children jumped on the bed.
noun: The fat man landed on the trampoline with a loud boing.
exclamation: It sprung out of the box and hit him, Boing! in the face.

buzz
(of a machine) make a low continuous, humming sound
verb: Her phone was buzzing non-stop.
noun: The buzz of the doorbell told me that that the guests had arrived.
See also: Animals

chug
(of a vehicle, usually a boat) move slowly while making regular, muffled engine sounds
verb: We waved at the boat as it chugged away down river.
noun: I could hear the chug of his old boat as it slowly approached the dock.

click
(of a switch or keyboard) make the short, sharp sound of two objects coming together
verb: Arthur was clicking away on the keyboard, trying to finish his work.
noun: I heard the click of the key in the lock and realised he was home.

honk
(of a car horn) make a low, harsh sound
verb: The cars honked their horns, waiting for the van to move.
noun: The silence was broken by the loud honk of his horn.
See also: Animals

hum
(of a machine) make a steady continuous sound
verb: The generator hummed in the background as I tried to do my work.
noun: The gentle hum of the fridge told me the power was back on.
See also: Humans

jingle
(of metal objects) make a light ringing sound when shaken together
verb: The coins jingled in my pocket as I ran down the road.
noun: The jingle of keys in his hands told me Gary was approaching.
See also: Impacts

ping
(of a microwave or timer) make a short, high-pitched ringing sound
verb: As soon as the microwave pinged, I opened the door and took out the pasta.
noun: The ping of the timer in the kitchen told me that my eggs were now ready to eat.

ring
(of a bell or telephone) make a clear resonant sound
verb: On the morning of the wedding, the bells were ringing loudly.
noun: I was woken by the ring of the doorbell.
adjective: After listening to the loud music, there was a ringing sound in my ears.

squeak
(of a door or gate needing oil) make a high-pitched crying sound
verb: The old door squeaked when I opened it.
noun: You could try some oil to stop that squeak from the hinges.
See also: Animals

whizz, whiz
(of a vehicle) make a hissing sound when moving swiftly through the air
verb: The train whizzed past, nearly knocking me off my feet.
noun: We took a quick whiz around the docks and drove off pronto.