clockwork

American  

[klok-wurk] / ˈklɒkˌwɜrk /

noun

• clockworks
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• clockworks
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of clockwork

First recorded in 1620–30; clock ¹ + work

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

clockwork clockworks

Unofficially, it kicks off every Sunday afternoon when, like clockwork, anxious thoughts begin seeping into her brain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

Your attorney should coordinate your will, beneficiary designations, charitable gifts and executor stipulations so they all work like clockwork.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

I have a confession, and it is not particularly chic: Twice a year, like clockwork, I crave Cajun chicken pasta.

From Salon ● Apr. 7, 2026

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

From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2026

Rashawn was doing a lot better than he expected, but every thirty minutes, like clockwork, she froze and burst into tears.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

In these clocks, atoms are held in place by laser beams arranged in a lattice and serve as extremely precise "clockworks."

From Science Daily ● Jan. 26, 2026

When the Victorian-era clockworks began to tick in 1859, it was the largest, most accurate four-sided striking timepiece in the world.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 11, 2022

In the meantime, craftsmen from Smith Bell and Clock Service removed the clockworks, including the clock’s four faces and dials and are storing them while the case is restored.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 5, 2020

The rapid-fire labor-intensiveness of Mr. Marclay’s effort also emphasizes the laborious, collaborative nature of films — that they are themselves elaborate clockworks of actors, directors, cinematographers, set and costume designers and makeup artists.

From New York Times ● Feb. 3, 2011

The coast guard kept the clockworks greased, and the lenses revolved twice each minute.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

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