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
To help achieve this, Dyson nixed its cyclone technology, which means there's no longer a clunky mechanism sitting at the top of the vacuum.
—
Brenda Stolyar, Wired News, 22 May 2025
Sand & Stable Calhoun Four-Piece Sofa Seating Group Skip clunky furniture for this seating set that fits four people.
—Lauren Fischer, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 May 2025
There are a few family members who only wear olive, mustard, khaki, black and other dull colors; clunky, unattractive shoes; and few accessories.
—Judith Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2025
One of the reasons that Ray-Ban and Meta have acheived some success is that the smart glasses, far from the clunky original iterations, have a stylish and familiar design and they are being sold across Ray-Ban’s stores network.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for clunky
Brenda Stolyar, Wired News, 22 May 2025
Sand & Stable Calhoun Four-Piece Sofa Seating Group Skip clunky furniture for this seating set that fits four people.
—Lauren Fischer, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 May 2025
There are a few family members who only wear olive, mustard, khaki, black and other dull colors; clunky, unattractive shoes; and few accessories.
—Judith Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2025
One of the reasons that Ray-Ban and Meta have acheived some success is that the smart glasses, far from the clunky original iterations, have a stylish and familiar design and they are being sold across Ray-Ban’s stores network.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for clunky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clunky
Adjective
-
Herbert includes a range of moments, from earnest attempts to talk about the enslaved people that maintained all these palatial homes to clumsier ones in which they are referred to as workers, insinuating that their labor was paid for instead of forced.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
20 June 2025
-
The aftermath of Virginia’s clumsy tumble into a rose bed where her exposed cleavage is profusely pricked by thorns lasts for all of one scene.—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
Regional flashpoints have now put China in an awkward position.—
Wesley Alexander Hill,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
At times awkward, but mostly gorgeous, catchy and sincere.—
Darian Sahanaja,
Variety,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
In-call operations, such as managing state or editing messages, are more cumbersome with audio.—
Arkadiy Telegin,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
For sharp images, stability is key—but a traditional tripod is cumbersome inside the confines of a safari vehicle.—
Lauren Breedlove,
Travel + Leisure,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
The Inflation Reduction Act clawbacks desired by a large portion of the GOP are just a small part of the unwieldy bill.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
-
Because of the pandemic, multiple Hollywood strikes, and turmoil at Marvel Studios, it’s taken four and a half years for the show to materialize, though Thorne played the character in 2022’s unwieldy Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clunky. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share