1
: cleric
2
archaic
: scholar
3
a
: an official responsible (as to a government agency) for correspondence, records, and accounts and vested with specified powers or authority (as to issue writs as ordered by a court)
city clerk
b
: one employed to keep records or accounts or to perform general office work
a bank clerk
c
: one who works at a sales or service counter
a store clerk
a grocery clerk
d
: a person (such as a law school graduate) who provides a judge, magistrate, or lawyer with assistance in such matters as research, writing, and analysis : law clerk
clerked; clerking; clerks
: to act or work as a clerk
clerked for a court judge
Synonyms
Examples of clerk in a Sentence
Noun
Have the court clerk file your request with the judge.
He works as a clerk in a local pet store.
a sales clerk at a women's clothing store
Recent Examples on the Web
Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
In Wisconsin, clerks cannot start processing absentee ballots until 7 a.m. on election day.
—Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024
Soon, his clerk passed out copies hot off the printer to reporters.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
His mother, Rose (Rizzo) Lucchino, was a secretary and an accounting clerk.
—Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
Then Bissell spied five young clerks standing at attention, with lit torches on long poles, wearing … shimmering black capes?
—Jon Grinspan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024
Smith is captured On March 17, Smith was at a gas station in Albuquerque and handed his ID card to a store clerk, who called authorities after recognizing his name, according to an affidavit.
—Julia Marnin, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024
The clerks from all 19 counties that use the county line ballot design are named as defendants.
—Katie Sobko, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024
The differences in wages, benefits and working conditions among unionized and nonunion workers became apparent during the coronavirus pandemic, said Em Mayhew, an inpatient unit clerk at the University of Michigan Medical Center.
—Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 27 Mar. 2024
Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 27 Mar. 2024
In the first season, Callie clerked for a conservative judge overseeing a police shooting involving the wrongful death of an unarmed Black man, while her roommate Malika (Zuri Adele) worked for a civil rights non-profit that was protesting outside the trial.
—Megan Vick, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024
The idea that Trump disqualified himself from a second term gained traction over the summer with a law review article by two conservative legal scholars − including one who clerked for Roberts.
—John Fritze, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2024
Justices don’t have to explain recusal decisions, but the fact that a plaintiff in the case, John Eastman, clerked for Justice Thomas in the mid-1990s could be a reason.
—Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2023
One of his first jobs was clerking — for $2 per 12-hour shift — at Buffett & Son, an upscale Omaha grocery run by Warren Buffett’s grandfather.
—Tom Petruno, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Unlike many judges who follow a relatively predictable trajectory to the court -- law school followed by clerking, then years in private practice or in government service -- Engoron's path to the bench includes a seven-year detour as a professional musician and teacher.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2023
Eastman clerked for Thomas on the Supreme Court, and emails obtained by the House panel showed that Ginni Thomas, the justice's wife, corresponded with the conservative lawyer.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 2 Oct. 2023
More than sixty Blackstone alumni are currently clerking on federal courts, including eighteen on appeals courts.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023
Noun
Once the clerk confirmed, the couple immediately jumped in the car and drove to lottery headquarters in Lansing.
—Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
In Wisconsin, clerks cannot start processing absentee ballots until 7 a.m. on election day.
—Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024
Soon, his clerk passed out copies hot off the printer to reporters.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
His mother, Rose (Rizzo) Lucchino, was a secretary and an accounting clerk.
—Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
Then Bissell spied five young clerks standing at attention, with lit torches on long poles, wearing … shimmering black capes?
—Jon Grinspan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024
Smith is captured On March 17, Smith was at a gas station in Albuquerque and handed his ID card to a store clerk, who called authorities after recognizing his name, according to an affidavit.
—Julia Marnin, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024
The clerks from all 19 counties that use the county line ballot design are named as defendants.
—Katie Sobko, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024
The differences in wages, benefits and working conditions among unionized and nonunion workers became apparent during the coronavirus pandemic, said Em Mayhew, an inpatient unit clerk at the University of Michigan Medical Center.
—Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 27 Mar. 2024
Verb
While some of the conservative members of the court, including Justice Samuel Alito, seemed to straight-forwardly question the FDA’s authority, Chief Justice John Roberts—whom Hawley actually clerked for in the past—and Justice Neil Gorsuch questioned her on why a nationwide ban was appropriate.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 27 Mar. 2024
In the first season, Callie clerked for a conservative judge overseeing a police shooting involving the wrongful death of an unarmed Black man, while her roommate Malika (Zuri Adele) worked for a civil rights non-profit that was protesting outside the trial.
—Megan Vick, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024
The idea that Trump disqualified himself from a second term gained traction over the summer with a law review article by two conservative legal scholars − including one who clerked for Roberts.
—John Fritze, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2024
Justices don’t have to explain recusal decisions, but the fact that a plaintiff in the case, John Eastman, clerked for Justice Thomas in the mid-1990s could be a reason.
—Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2023
One of his first jobs was clerking — for $2 per 12-hour shift — at Buffett & Son, an upscale Omaha grocery run by Warren Buffett’s grandfather.
—Tom Petruno, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Unlike many judges who follow a relatively predictable trajectory to the court -- law school followed by clerking, then years in private practice or in government service -- Engoron's path to the bench includes a seven-year detour as a professional musician and teacher.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2023
Eastman clerked for Thomas on the Supreme Court, and emails obtained by the House panel showed that Ginni Thomas, the justice's wife, corresponded with the conservative lawyer.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 2 Oct. 2023
More than sixty Blackstone alumni are currently clerking on federal courts, including eighteen on appeals courts.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clerk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near clerk
Cite this Entry
“Clerk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clerk. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clerk
1 of 2 noun1
: a person whose job is to keep records and accounts
town clerk
a stock clerk
2
: a salesperson in a store
clerk
2 of 2 verb
: to act or work as a clerk
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