Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

clockwise

American  
[klok-wahyz] / ˈklɒkˌwaɪz /

adverb

  1. in the direction of the rotation of the hands of a clock as viewed from the front or above; circularly to the right from a point taken as the top.

adjective

  1. directed clockwise.

    a clockwise movement.
clockwise British  
/ ˈklɒkˌwaɪz /

adverb

  1. in the direction that the hands of a clock rotate; from top to bottom towards the right when seen from the front

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of clockwise

First recorded in 1885–90; clock 1 + -wise

Compare meaning

How does clockwise compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Vocabulary lists containing clockwise

Middle School Geometry, List 1

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Geometry - Middle School

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Geometry (Base List)

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Moving clockwise from the lower right, our eye takes in the ducks, the cattle, the human trio, the driver, the hayricks and the harvesters.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

These vortices form in pairs that rotate in opposite directions, with one spinning clockwise and the other counterclockwise.

From Science Daily • Mar. 7, 2026

If you do have a burst pipe, you can turn the stop tap clockwise to stop the water.

From BBC • Jan. 4, 2026

The typical group rotation pattern occurs in a clockwise fashion.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 24, 2025

I scraped all the leftovers into the trash and focused on doing the dishes, scrubbing each plate in clockwise circles.

From "The Lions of Little Rock" by Kristin Levine

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.