clunkier; clunkiest
: clumsy in style, form, or execution
a clunky thriller
clunky earrings

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 On a recent Friday night in TriBeCa, a woman wearing a black tutu, clunky Mary Janes and bridal veil made her way through constellations of people smoking cigarettes and sipping cans of Mexican beer outside the galleries on Walker Street. Zoë Lescaze, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2023 Cordless vacuum cleaners offer lightweight, sleek, and wire-free solutions to clunky gadgets. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2023 Each time, a Jets tackle bungled a clunky cut block and Bills end Leonard Floyd forced Rodgers to bail out. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2023 The switch might feel annoying, resulting in another cord destined for that overstuffed cardboard box where your clunky OG iPod connector and various A/V hookups went to die. Brian Barrett, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2023 Childs Walker: The Ravens began their season with a clunky first half, marked by nine penalties and a near-complete inability to handle Houston’s blitzes. Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 10 Sep. 2023 By only presenting a shadow of Emma’s frame of mind, Apollo’s clunky understanding of what has truly transpired isn’t enough to sustain the clues and hints sprinkled throughout the show. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Sep. 2023 Sectionals may have a reputation for being large and clunky, but this one is designed specifically for small spaces. Lily Gray, Peoplemag, 11 Sep. 2023 The organization’s handling of longtime QB Derek Carr’s demotion was clunky at best. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 4 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clunky.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clunky was in 1968

Dictionary Entries Near clunky

Cite this Entry

“Clunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clunky. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023.

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