clunky

adjective

ˈkləŋ-kē 

clunkier; clunkiest

: clumsy in style, form, or execution

a clunky thriller

clunky earrings

Synonyms of clunky

• clumsy
• awkward
• cumbersome
• unwieldy

Examples of clunky in a Sentence

I drive a clunky old station wagon.

His act was full of clunky one-liners.

Recent Examples on the Web

Max Homa, who arrived with momentum after a runner-up finish at the John Deere Classic and opened with a 67, slid down the leaderboard after a clunky second round. — Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Margo’s layered voice presents a challenge; the novel-to-series pipeline often relies too heavily on clunky, uncinematic narration. — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026

The handles are clunky and don’t blend well with the rest of the appliance. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 8 July 2026

Too clunky to be S-tier Nolan, but the last act rewards the journey. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for clunky

• chunky
• funky
• hunky
• junkie
• monkey
• spunky