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internal clock

noun

1
: a system in the body that controls when a person needs to sleep, eat, etc.
The long trip upset my internal clock and I had a hard time getting to sleep.
2
: a clock or timing device that is inside a computer

Examples of internal clock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Researchers debate whether animals rely on a single internal clock or multiple overlapping ones. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Nov. 2025 By calming the nervous system, research shows that Swedish massage also plays a role in regulating the body’s internal clock – encouraging deeper, more restorative sleep cycles. Daryl Austin, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025 More recently, scientists at the hospital discovered how light can reset the body’s internal clock and determined the natural length of our daily sleep–wake cycle. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025 That early light exposure helps reset their internal clock. Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for internal clock

Cite this Entry

“Internal clock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/internal%20clock. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.

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