cluck

1 of 2

verb

ˈklək 

clucked; clucking; clucks

intransitive verb

1

: to make a cluck

2

: to make a clicking sound with the tongue

3

: to express interest or concern

critics clucked over the new developments

transitive verb

1

: to call with a cluck

2

: to express with interest or concern

cluck

2 of 2

noun

1

: the characteristic sound made by a hen especially in calling her chicks

2

: a stupid or naive person

a dumb cluck

Synonyms of cluck

Noun

• idiot
• moron
• stupid
• fool
• mutt

Examples of cluck in a Sentence

Verb

The hen clucked at her chicks.

The driver clucked at the horses to get them moving.

Commentators have been clucking over his lack of experience.

Noun

Don't be such a dumb cluck.

stuck with a bunch of clucks on an extended bus tour

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Chicken sandwich fans have got something serious to cluck about thanks to some exciting news from Whataburger. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 21 May 2026

The bird was curious and stood long minutes until Doc clucked again. —Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026

Noun

In Threes, builds its sentences from splats, crashes, clucks, clinks, whooshes, and thuds. —Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 20 Apr. 2026

On a recent Saturday, visitors swelter under the sun in a long line stretching into the dirt parking lot and swap rumors as passing chickens cluck at their ankles. —Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cluck

• chuck
• duck
• huck
• luck
• muck
• pluck
• puck
• ruck
• schmuck
• shuck
• snuck
• struck

Kids Definition

cluck

noun

ˈklək

: the call of a hen especially to her chicks

cluck verb