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

Running parallel to this butchery investigation is the arrival of perpetually hungover FBI agent Gwen Birgssen, played by British actress Lily James with an incomprehensible southern drawl and some clunky platitudes that veer into genre parody. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

Just two years ago, Fernández, a former economics professor, would’ve blamed Cuba’s clunky bureaucratic system and lack of economic freedoms for any challenges to Cuba’s private sector. — Rick Jervis, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

That gives you plenty of room for some serious multitasking that just isn’t possible, or at the very least is clunky, on a smaller screen. — Stevie Bonifield, The Verge, 9 Sep. 2026

Eloquence clearly isn’t Ken’s strong suit, but his clunky commentary gains pertinence when the scene cuts to Ned (Domhnall Gleeson) and Mare (Chelsea Frei). — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for clunky

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