clunker
Americannoun
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something worthless or inferior.
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Also klunker an old, worn-out vehicle or machine, especially a car.
noun
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a dilapidated old car or other machine
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something that fails
the novel's last line is a clunker
Etymology
Origin of clunker
Explanation
If you drive a clunker, you've got a very old, decrepit car. Ask anyone and they'll advise you not to take that clunker on a road trip from California to Maine! A clunker hasn't just racked up a lot of miles — it's also visibly dilapidated and may just barely work at all. Leave your car out in the rain for years without tune-ups and oil changes, and it'll eventually become a clunker. You can also use this word for unsuccessful efforts: "I'm not sure about being a comedian after that clunker of a joke I told at dinner." Clunker comes from the clunk sound of a broken machine.
Vocabulary lists containing clunker
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.
I can still picture the tram driver who patched together my grandmother’s clunker and the sign maker lettering Jesus’ words along the road.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
So long as “Cars” could make Disney billions of dollars, the film itself being a veritable clunker was a non-issue.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026
For instance, your friend may have just laughed when you offered to replace their old clunker with a new car.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
And while James’ ramp-up after his injury return included a clunker in Orlando and a buzzer-beater in Chicago, the team quickly found its footing in good wins against Houston and in Memphis and Oklahoma City.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2025
Mom drove our old clunker up to the drop-off curb behind a bunch of other cars—mostly fancy cars like BMWs, Volvos, and Jeeps, all shiny and freshly waxed in a variety of bright colors.
From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
