clockwork

American  

[klok-wurk] / ˈklɒkˌwɜrk /

noun

1. the mechanism of a clock.

2. any mechanism similar to that of a clock.

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idioms

1. like clockwork, with perfect regularity or precision.

   The launching of the spacecraft went off like clockwork.

clockwork British  

/ ˈklɒkˌwɜːk /

noun

1. the mechanism of a clock

2. any similar mechanism, as in a wind-up toy

3. with complete regularity and precision

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Etymology

Origin of clockwork

First recorded in 1620–30; clock ¹ + work

Example Sentences

With everything working like clockwork, he's clearly run out of things to complain about.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

I’m not sure what would provoke anyone to tune in, but like clockwork, the viewership billowed to the thousands.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

Like clockwork, road failures and landslides tend to bring up questions about when, or if, it might make sense to abandon or reconfigure parts of Highway 1.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

Ask a futurist about self-driving cars, and you’ll hear an exciting story: traffic that flows like clockwork, pedestrians stepping into the street without fear, and collisions so rare they make the news.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

My body moved on its own, twisting away from the mirror as mechanically as clockwork.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros