honk
1 of 2verb
ˈhäŋk 
ˈhȯŋk
honked; honking; honks
intransitive verb
1
: to make the characteristic cry of a goose
2
: to make a sound resembling the cry of a goose
transitive verb
: to cause to honk
honk a horn
honk
2 of 2noun
: the characteristic cry of a goose
also : a similar sound
Example Sentences
Verb We could hear the geese honking overhead. I honked at the car in front of me. Noun the honk of a horn
Recent Examples on the Web
Hartford Courant, 30 Aug. 2022 Fewer than a dozen protestors stood at 2500 Broening Highway on the southside sidewalk, holding signs and waving at trucks drivers to honk their horns as the vehicles moved in and out of the entrance to deliver and pick up shipments. Ngan Ho, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2022 There are ways to prevent hot car deaths without technology: teaching children to honk the horn if they get stuck inside or placing an important item in the rear as a reminder. Morgan Korn, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2022 In a comedic public service announcement posted in June, Handler and Koy criticize drivers who honk in the middle of traffic. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 19 July 2022 Every once in a while, a motorist would honk or yell encouragement. David Koenig, USA TODAY, 22 June 2022 Families gather nightly in places such as the downtown waterfront of the capital, Colombo, to chant slogans against Rajapaska and honk their horns in protest. Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2022 Beverly continued to honk the car as an SOS signal. Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2022 People drop off cookies, deliver hot chocolate, and honk their horns, volunteers say. Roy Rivenburg, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Dec. 2021 Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 26 Apr. 2022 The most obvious symptom is a strong cough that can sound like a honk. Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Jan. 2021 That's about patience — as is my honk at the driver in front of me reading texts. Christopher Borrelli Chicago Tribune (tns), Star Tribune, 2 Nov. 2020 In the 50 minutes that the Washington Examiner spoke to the roadside Biden supporters, at least 53 cars responded with a horn-honk in approval. Emily Larsen, Washington Examiner, 29 Oct. 2020 Some honk and stick their fist out the car window in solidarity. Dallas News, 29 June 2020 The honks of sweeping Canada geese became roars as the sounds reverberated off the still water and valley walls. Matt Wyatt, ExpressNews.com, 6 June 2020 At first the cars were overcautious and twitchy, earning angry honks from human drivers for unnecessary braking and hesitant turns. Tom Simonite, Wired, 19 May 2020 By the afternoon, three honk shoooooos appeared alone on a spread. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2019 See More
Verb
Horns will honk, lights will flash and tires will rumble at The Shops at Farmington Valley’s fourth annual Truckyard Touch-a-Truck, taking place Saturday, Sept. 10, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hartford Courant, 30 Aug. 2022 Fewer than a dozen protestors stood at 2500 Broening Highway on the southside sidewalk, holding signs and waving at trucks drivers to honk their horns as the vehicles moved in and out of the entrance to deliver and pick up shipments. Ngan Ho, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2022 There are ways to prevent hot car deaths without technology: teaching children to honk the horn if they get stuck inside or placing an important item in the rear as a reminder. Morgan Korn, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2022 In a comedic public service announcement posted in June, Handler and Koy criticize drivers who honk in the middle of traffic. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 19 July 2022 Every once in a while, a motorist would honk or yell encouragement. David Koenig, USA TODAY, 22 June 2022 Families gather nightly in places such as the downtown waterfront of the capital, Colombo, to chant slogans against Rajapaska and honk their horns in protest. Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2022 Beverly continued to honk the car as an SOS signal. Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2022 People drop off cookies, deliver hot chocolate, and honk their horns, volunteers say. Roy Rivenburg, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Dec. 2021 Noun
Registering somewhere between a honk and a howl, the vocalizations of the feral burros that roam around Lake Pleasant are as gritty and unbridled as the beasts themselves. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 26 Apr. 2022 The most obvious symptom is a strong cough that can sound like a honk. Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Jan. 2021 That's about patience — as is my honk at the driver in front of me reading texts. Christopher Borrelli Chicago Tribune (tns), Star Tribune, 2 Nov. 2020 In the 50 minutes that the Washington Examiner spoke to the roadside Biden supporters, at least 53 cars responded with a horn-honk in approval. Emily Larsen, Washington Examiner, 29 Oct. 2020 Some honk and stick their fist out the car window in solidarity. Dallas News, 29 June 2020 The honks of sweeping Canada geese became roars as the sounds reverberated off the still water and valley walls. Matt Wyatt, ExpressNews.com, 6 June 2020 At first the cars were overcautious and twitchy, earning angry honks from human drivers for unnecessary braking and hesitant turns. Tom Simonite, Wired, 19 May 2020 By the afternoon, three honk shoooooos appeared alone on a spread. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2019 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
imitative
First Known Use
Verb
1813, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun
1813, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
honk 1 of 2
verb
ˈhäŋk
ˈhȯŋk
honked; honking
: to make a sound like the cry of a goose
honk
2 of 2noun
1
: the cry of a goose
2
: a loud sound like the cry of a goose
the honk of a horn
honks
noun
as in screeches
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- screeches
- squeals
- squawks
- chirps
- squeaks
- clucks
- barks
- roars
- brays
- moos
- trumpets
- bleats
- blats
- whinnies
- coos
- yelps
- cackles
- meows
- yowls
- cheeps
- hoots
- grunts
- caterwauls
- howls
- yaps
- caws
- neighs
- croaks
- bellows
- oinks
- peeps
- quacks
- squalls
- twitters
- crows
- mews
- yips
- miaows
- crakes
- bays
- lows
- callings
- cries
- tu-whit tu-whoos
- calls
- notes