clockwork
noun
clock·work
ˈkläk-ˌwərk 
1
: the inner workings of something
2
: the machinery (such as springs and a train of gears) that run a clock
also
: a similar mechanism running a mechanical device (such as a toy)
3
: the precision, regularity, or absence of variation associated with a clock or clockwork
a clockwork operation
—used in the phrase like clockwork to describe something that happens or works in a regular and exact wayThis type of star has a wonderful property: Its brightness waxes and wanes like clockwork…—
Ron Cowen
Ron CowenIf everything went like clockwork, it would have taken a year to get items in stores.—Brooks Barnes
Brooks BarnesExamples of clockwork in a Sentence
the clockwork inside a mechanical toy soldier
Recent Examples on the Web
The Commonwealth is heralded as a national bellwether, like clockwork every four years.
—Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
And now, after years of the exact same update cycle like clockwork, Bethesda is finally shaking things up for its Elder Scrolls MMO with a new Content Pass structure.
—David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Every April, like clockwork, golf fans across the globe tune in to The Masters.
—Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2025
And like clockwork, many in Washington are attempting to cause chaos, dishonestly criticizing his plan and stoking fear.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clockwork
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Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
And now, after years of the exact same update cycle like clockwork, Bethesda is finally shaking things up for its Elder Scrolls MMO with a new Content Pass structure.
—David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Every April, like clockwork, golf fans across the globe tune in to The Masters.
—Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2025
And like clockwork, many in Washington are attempting to cause chaos, dishonestly criticizing his plan and stoking fear.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clockwork
Cite this Entry
“Clockwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clockwork. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clockwork
noun
clock·work
ˈkläk-ˌwərk
: machinery (as in a mechanical toy) containing a set of small cogwheels
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