clockwise

adverb

clock·​wise ˈkläk-ˌwīz How to pronounce clockwise (audio)
: in the direction in which the hands of a clock rotate as viewed from in front or as if standing on a clock face
clockwise adjective

Examples of clockwise in a Sentence

Turn the screw clockwise to tighten it.
Recent Examples on the Web The collision also caused the Chevrolet to rotate clockwise before resting. Sabrina Leboeuf, Baltimore Sun, 14 Aug. 2023 His Dallara chassis began to rotate clockwise before landing on the right-side wheels and made nearly seven rotations before coming to a stop upside down against the tire barrier. Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 2 July 2023 High-pressure systems are swirling, clockwise-moving patterns of airflow, where the atmospheric pressure tends to be higher than the surrounding atmosphere. Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2020 James Cook was the first European explorer to circumnavigate the Southern Ocean, on a ship called the Endeavour, discovering that its main current flowed clockwise continuously around the pole. Lucy Jakub, Harper's Magazine, 27 Apr. 2020 The most common design requires a clockwise-turn and pull of the circular filter. Lily Jackson | Ljackson@al.com, al, 25 Apr. 2020 Daniele's Diamond DA42 twin-engine turbo prop plane lifted off from the Rochester airport headed south, flew counter-clockwise around the community then zig-zagged across the city. Brian Sharp, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2020 So now, with only two other forces, the only way for their torques to offset is for one to pull clockwise and the other to pull counterclockwise. Rhett Allain, Wired, 25 Apr. 2020 The study found that three groups of fibers were separated and twisted clockwise like an S and once twisted, the strands were twined counterclockwise to form a cord. Katie Hunt, CNN, 9 Apr. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clockwise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clockwise was in 1882

Dictionary Entries Near clockwise

Cite this Entry

“Clockwise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clockwise. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

clockwise

adverb or adjective
clock·​wise ˈkläk-ˌwīz How to pronounce clockwise (audio)
: in the direction in which the hands of a clock turn

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