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 of clunker

• crate

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

Reiner had a Midas touch for years, but The Story of Us was the third of four clunkers in a row for him — and more proof that his once-formidable ability to tap into universal themes was starting to slip away. —Will Leitch, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025

The Steelers, meanwhile, are in first place after Baltimore’s Thanksgiving night clunker. —Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 28 Nov. 2025

Key reprogrammers can be hooked into plugs behind panels of modern cars — from the expensive and stylish to clunkers — and are used to aid owners who’ve lost their keys. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 27 Nov. 2025

Its slim, vertical design also stands out among a field of countertop clunkers. —Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for clunker

• dunker
• hunker
• junker