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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clunky
Carriers are battling for higher-spending customers, including by upgrading once-slow, expensive and clunky in-flight internet to higher speeds.
—
Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 26 May 2026
The links were clunky, the attribution was debated, incrementality was always questioned and the whole channel had the whiff of late-night coupon codes rather than cutting-edge commerce strategy.
—Lauren Newman, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Of course, the pivotal thing was to create an inciting incident that propels the story without clunky exposition.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 23 May 2026
Like a false note on an out-of-tune piano, a clunky verb, a sentence without rhythm, yanks the reader out the flow of the work.
—Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clunky
Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 26 May 2026
The links were clunky, the attribution was debated, incrementality was always questioned and the whole channel had the whiff of late-night coupon codes rather than cutting-edge commerce strategy.
—Lauren Newman, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Of course, the pivotal thing was to create an inciting incident that propels the story without clunky exposition.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 23 May 2026
Like a false note on an out-of-tune piano, a clunky verb, a sentence without rhythm, yanks the reader out the flow of the work.
—Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clunky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clunky
Adjective
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This layout makes the monitor a natural fit for high-traffic environments like banking counters, medical reception desks, and service queues where traditional screen-sharing is often clumsy or compromises privacy.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 June 2026
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The clumsy third inning from the defense didn’t help Tong, who threw 27 pitches in the frame.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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The awkward situation that Thiago is talking about involves receiving the ball with his back to a player who is closing him down at speed from behind.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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Almost nine years after their awkward handshake at the 2017 Bastille Day military parade, the two men politely shook hands and expressed their affinity for each other.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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When one party controls virtually every lever of power, the incentive to reform a cumbersome system diminishes.—
Matt Klink,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
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The legislation amended a cumbersome, multi-step process for over-the-counter drugs in an effort to create a more efficient system.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Could the deal spur Fox to examine what is becoming an unwieldy streaming portfolio?—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
15 June 2026
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Such overwhelming events can be unwieldy and messy, of course.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clunky. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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