clunky

American  

[kluhng-kee] / ˈklʌŋ ki /

adjective

Informal.

clunkier, clunkiest

1. awkwardly heavy or clumsy.

   clunky metal jewelry; clunky shoes.

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clunky British  

/ ˈklʌŋkɪ /

adjective

1. making a clunking noise

2. informal ponderously ungraceful or unsophisticated

   clunky boots

3. awkward or unsophisticated

   then you guffaw at clunky dialogue

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Etymology

Origin of clunky

First recorded in 1965–70; clunk + -y ¹

Example Sentences

“The Forsytes” is a clunky visual feast, but it’s also a new hot dish in an expanding buffet of eat-the-rich takes that materializes what one imagines a serialized adaptation of Gentlemen’s Quarterly would look like.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

Today’s clunky VR headsets will be replaced by unobtrusive devices, perhaps embedded in contact lenses or even brain-computer interfaces.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

I escorted myself up a clunky metal utility elevator which opened into a warmly lit waiting room of beiges and pinks and a desk, both empty.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026

Often when shows appear "clunky" or inauthentic, the review suggested, it was because "diversity seems superimposed rather than arising out of the subject".

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

Before the war, I'd be able to hear the music from halfway down the block, first a melody played by my mother and then a student's plodding, clunky version a few seconds later.

From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse

Related Words

• bulky
• burdensome
• embarrassing
• heavy
• inconvenient
• ponderous
• tiresome
• unwieldy