grandfather clock
noun
: a tall pendulum clock that stands on the floor
called also grandfather, grandfather's clock
Examples of grandfather clock in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Sand Pirates pirate ship silently swung like the pendulum on a grandfather clock.
—
Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
At the public library that’s named for Howard Miller, two majestic grandfather clocks stand watch.
—Anna Clark, ProPublica, 1 Dec. 2025
In Hawkins, cheerleader Chrissy Cunningham (Grace Van Dien) begins having disturbing visions and starts seeing and hearing a grandfather clock.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 19 Nov. 2025
Beyond supernatural encounters, the Beaux-Arts hotel is also a glittering grande dame of the French Quarter, with a revolving carousel bar, pristine marble floors, and a wooden grandfather clock that’s chimed in the lobby since 1909.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grandfather clock
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Grandfather clock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grandfather%20clock. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
