The action of behaving mechanically in the manner of a clock.
Used in a Sentence
clockwork
Definitions, parts of speech, synonyms, and sentence examples for clockwork.
Editorial note
How do these Micro$oft guys come in and bill $25k every three years like clockwork?
Examples16
Definitions4
Parts of speech2
Quick take
The action of behaving mechanically in the manner of a clock.
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of clockwork gathered in one view.
Driven by clockwork.
Very smooth and regular.
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for clockwork.
noun
The action of behaving mechanically in the manner of a clock.
adjective
Driven by clockwork.
adjective
Very smooth and regular.
noun
A mechanism powered by a coiled spring and regulated by some form of escapement; the power is transmitted through toothed gearwheels and used to drive a mechanical clock, toy, or other device.
Example sentences
How do these Micro$oft guys come in and bill $25k every three years like clockwork?
An eighteenth century person couldn't have understood computers, so clockwork is the closest analogy.
Despite using old tools, the OpenBSD guys release their updates every 6 months like clockwork, and have for the past two decades.
Reminds me of `A Clockwork Orange` and the recruitment of thugs to the police.
However, scrum-like standups mitigate it since you always report the status everyday like clockwork, so it doesn't feel personal for that particular task.
The Metro North from Greenwich to Manhattan makes that 30-mile trip in an hour flat, like clockwork, in a far denser metro area.
She gets a headache like clockwork after having something with Aspartame in it.
This story pops up regular as clockwork, going back before 2012.
For me, a pivotal moment was Stanley Kubrick's removal of A Clockwork Orange from circulation in the 1970s, and its subsequent posthumous re-release in 2000.
Whereas with a high growth business, you really don't want to go full time until you have the ability to hit your metrics like clockwork.
The thread view-count grows at almost a clockwork rate, etc.
BA or Virgin, but on the other hand upgrades to business on United was as reliable as clockwork - I got upgrades ca.
Quote examples
I get contacted every year like clockwork "Wanna try again?", "No thanks, good luck inverting binary trees though..."
"A Clockwork Orange", "Brazil", and "1984" all portray white men in oppressive positions of power.
Quite a few of the higher-profile problems with the systemd "cabal" are social/management problems, and like clockwork, whenever they are brought up people like you try to force the conversation away from those problems by insisting that the conversation can only be about "technical" issues.
Proper noun examples
You'll be joining our development team to work on Textburst and Clockwork.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use clockwork in a sentence?
How do these Micro$oft guys come in and bill $25k every three years like clockwork?
What does clockwork mean?
The action of behaving mechanically in the manner of a clock.
What part of speech is clockwork?
clockwork is commonly used as noun, adjective.