clunker

/ˈklʌŋkɚ/

//ˈklʌŋkɚ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"clunker" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“clunker” is an uncommon English word, ranked #95,834 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#95,834
frequency rank, English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A decrepit motor car.

Key facts for clunker
PropertyValue
Headwordclunker
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈklʌŋkɚ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#95,834
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “clunker” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). clunker lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for clunker is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈklʌŋkɚ/. Corpus data places it at rank #95,834 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

clunker doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From clunk + -er. The correct English form is clunker, spelled C-L-U-N-K-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A decrepit motor car.
  2. 2
    Anything which is in poor condition or of poor quality.

Etymology

From clunk + -er.

This word in other languages

chatarra(Español)guimbarde(Français)Schrottkarre(Deutsch)calhambeque(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "clunker"?
"clunker" is spelled C-L-U-N-K-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈklʌŋkɚ/.
What does "clunker" mean?
As a noun, "clunker" means: A decrepit motor car.
How do you pronounce "clunker"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "clunker" is /ˈklʌŋkɚ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "clunker"?
From clunk + -er. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “clunker”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-L-U-N-K-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈklʌŋkɚ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list