the clock
noun
1
: a clock that is used in sports and that shows how much time remains for a particular part of a game
They were winning by 2 points with 10 seconds (left) on the clock.
They stopped the (game) clock with eight seconds remaining.
2
: a special clock that is used to record the times when an employee starts and stops working : time clock
I punched the clock at 8:45 and started working right away.
3
chiefly British
: a device that shows how far a vehicle has traveled
a car with 100,000 miles on the clock
Examples of the clock in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Portuguese came close to equalizing as the clock ran down, as Bernardo Silva’s header had Simón beaten but sailed over the bar.
—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
6 July 2026
As the clock ticked down, fans began to jeer the referee after foul calls.
—
Christian Marshall,
Kansas City Star,
4 July 2026
Unlike on New Year's Eve, the ball won't drop just once, but eight times for the first time ever to mark when the clock strikes midnight in each American time zone, according to the America250 website.
—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
These essential workers will be compensated for their time on the clock while other government employees enjoy the extra long holiday.
—
Darin Oswald,
Idaho Statesman,
3 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for the clock
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
6 July 2026
As the clock ticked down, fans began to jeer the referee after foul calls.
—
Christian Marshall,
Kansas City Star,
4 July 2026
Unlike on New Year's Eve, the ball won't drop just once, but eight times for the first time ever to mark when the clock strikes midnight in each American time zone, according to the America250 website.
—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
These essential workers will be compensated for their time on the clock while other government employees enjoy the extra long holiday.
—
Darin Oswald,
Idaho Statesman,
3 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for the clock
Cite this Entry
“The clock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20clock. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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