clunker

noun

clunk·​er ˈkləŋ-kər 

1

: an old or badly working piece of machinery

especially : a dilapidated automobile

2

: someone or something notably unsuccessful

told a joke that was a real clunker

Synonyms

• beater
• crate
• jalopy
• junker

Examples of clunker in a Sentence

My first car was an old clunker that kept breaking down.

That joke was a real clunker.

The director's recent films have all been clunkers.

Recent Examples on the Web

The lack of acknowledgement of where things were left with the band after the Butler allegations haunts the album’s highlights and clunkers. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 13 May 2025

Atlanta had won 13 of 19 games since a 5-13 start but opened the series with a clunker against the Pirates, who came in at 12-26 and fired their manager Thursday. —David O'Brien, New York Times, 10 May 2025

Prior to Williams’ latest clunker, Carlos Carrasco forced the Yankees to use their bullpen in the fifth inning. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2025

And while James’ ramp-up after his injury return included a clunker in Orlando and a buzzer-beater in Chicago, the team quickly found its footing in good wins against Houston and in Memphis and Oklahoma City. —Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for clunker

• dunker
• hunker
• junker