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
If everything went like clockwork, it would have taken a year to get items in stores.—Brooks Barnes
Cite this Entry
“Clockwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clockwork. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.
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