the clock

noun

1
: a clock that is used in sports and that shows how much time remains for a particular part of a game
They were winning by 2 points with 10 seconds (left) on the clock.
They stopped the (game) clock with eight seconds remaining.
2
: a special clock that is used to record the times when an employee starts and stops working : time clock
I punched the clock at 8:45 and started working right away.
3
chiefly British : a device that shows how far a vehicle has traveled
a car with 100,000 miles on the clock

Examples of the 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.
Carlson turns 36 this season, so the clock is ticking. Harman Dayal, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025 That was the game, as the Bills were out of timeouts and couldn’t get the clock on their side. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2025 Jones allowed two of the four passes in his coverage area to be caught for 19 yards and a touchdown, and committed two crucial fourth-quarter penalties, including one on a third down pass to Hunter Renfrow that allowed Carolina to run out the clock. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025 The offense ran out the clock, securing the victory. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for the clock

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Cite this Entry

“The clock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20clock. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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