clunker

noun

clunk·​er ˈkləŋ-kər How to pronounce clunker (audio)
1
: an old or badly working piece of machinery
especially : a dilapidated automobile
2
: someone or something notably unsuccessful
told a joke that was a real clunker

Examples of clunker in a Sentence

My first car was an old clunker that kept breaking down. That joke was a real clunker. The director's recent films have all been clunkers.
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.
Haliburton now has two clunkers to his name in these playoffs. Sam Settleman, New York Times, 31 May 2025 The defeat, which featured a gem from the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a clunker from Carlos Rodón and a home run from Juan Soto, put the Yankees in a 2-0 hole in the Fall Classic. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 May 2025 And while the makeup of the Lakers’ roster has changed significantly in their offensive clunkers, the challenges the Timberwolves give — their size, their long arms, their quick feet and their active hands — haven’t really been solved by Redick and the players. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025 The lack of acknowledgement of where things were left with the band after the Butler allegations haunts the album’s highlights and clunkers. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for clunker

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clunker was in 1930

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clunker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clunker. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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