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.
How odd, then, that this is what drew the two-time Academy Award winner to the small screen: a flat, nonsensical clunker that, at six episodes, somehow feels both draggy and rushed at the same time. Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Feb. 2025 The one blemish in that stretch was a 2 for 12 clunker in Tuesday’s loss at Chicago. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 8 Feb. 2025 In the end, Jim Harbaugh’s first playoff game as their coach was a clunker. Elliott Teaford, Orange County Register, 11 Jan. 2025 The 14-win Vikings should be plenty motivated to win on the road after losing the NFC North to the Lions with a clunker last Sunday night. Jeff Howe, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 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 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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