as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
even my five-year-old laptop seems clunky next to some of the really slim new models
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Recent Examples of clunky
Integration With Existing Systems Few things frustrate banking professionals more than clunky systems that don’t talk to one another.
—
Gegham Azatyan, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Its fingerprint-resistant finish and seamless construction offer a clean, almost architectural presence—no clunky plastic, no garish branding, just elegant utility.
—Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 17 Apr. 2025
This clunky blue and white astromech is one of only two Star Wars characters to appear in every single one of the main Skywalker films (plus a cameo in Rogue One), with the other being his pal C-3PO.
—EW.com, 7 May 2025
The days of clunky multi-factor authentication and cumbersome password management are numbered.
—Rajat Bhargava, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for clunky
Gegham Azatyan, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Its fingerprint-resistant finish and seamless construction offer a clean, almost architectural presence—no clunky plastic, no garish branding, just elegant utility.
—Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 17 Apr. 2025
This clunky blue and white astromech is one of only two Star Wars characters to appear in every single one of the main Skywalker films (plus a cameo in Rogue One), with the other being his pal C-3PO.
—EW.com, 7 May 2025
The days of clunky multi-factor authentication and cumbersome password management are numbered.
—Rajat Bhargava, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for clunky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clunky
Adjective
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These transitions, between past and present, are sometimes clumsy but sometimes genuinely sweet, as with an old letter that near-simultaneously is dictated and written, received and read, and finally rediscovered (and only partially understood) in the 21st century.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
27 May 2025
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Wildlife officials helped remove a black bear found hanging out in the kitchen of a Kentucky home after an impressive, yet clumsy break-in, photos show.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Kansas City Star,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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Eddie's real parentage is revealed, Maeve is outed, Kevin catches up with Rusby, Bella brokers her deal, and Alice attends an awkward Harrigan dinner.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
26 May 2025
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There is also an awkward disconnect: Gmail’s recent encryption upgrade clashes with its AI upgrades.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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Their goal is also to reduce stress for breastfeeding parents and avoid the cumbersome use of pre- and post-feed weighing of infants.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
26 May 2025
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Although effective, such tests are both expensive and cumbersome and probably not efficient enough to handle the growing need for early diagnosis.—
Paul Smaglik,
Discover Magazine,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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But as evening hours set in, the upbeat tone stood at odds with the unwieldy scene at the Capitol.—
Joey Cappelletti,
Chicago Tribune,
21 May 2025
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There’s a lot of comedy in the unwieldy quadrilateral chest panel of Alex’s dress.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
6 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clunky. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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