as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
even my five-year-old laptop seems clunky next to some of the really slim new models
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of clunky
Owens is not defensive, even if his explanations are rather clunky at times.
—
Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2025
Some shoppers found the company’s service clunky and confusing, and the assortment started to feel stale and out of style.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2025
The use of four words would be clunky and unwieldy.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
But while earbuds have always been more practical than a pair of clunky over-ear cans, the audio performance disparity between the two has all but disappeared over the last decade.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for clunky
Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2025
Some shoppers found the company’s service clunky and confusing, and the assortment started to feel stale and out of style.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2025
The use of four words would be clunky and unwieldy.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
But while earbuds have always been more practical than a pair of clunky over-ear cans, the audio performance disparity between the two has all but disappeared over the last decade.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for clunky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clunky
Adjective
-
This is a huge bonus for a clumsy gal like myself, who often trips over air.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The scale of the problem became terrifyingly clear during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the Japanese government struggled to respond to a nationwide crisis with clumsy digital tools.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Kyler Murray completed seven of his eight passes, with one awkward misread going for a pick: Third-year running back Bam Knight busted out on a 27-yard rush, and his backfield teammate Emari Demercado took a screen pass all the way to the house.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
16 Aug. 2025
-
The coming weeks are the slow limp forwards that Putin wants: Tension between Trump and Zelensky first, followed by European pressure on Trump to ease off on Zelensky, followed by awkward and technical stalling over a three-way meeting between Trump, Putin and Zelensky.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Over time, these staffs have ballooned in size, making coordination cumbersome.—
Benjamin Jensen,
The Conversation,
18 Aug. 2025
-
As a result, registering an apprenticeship program is a cumbersome process requiring companies to document compliance with a litany of labor laws.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Kennedy points out that these knowledge structures can become unwieldy.—
Hessie Jones,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
-
In addition, one-way puzzles generate keys that are too unwieldy to actually open locks.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clunky. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share