Meaning & use
clerks
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“clerks” is a form of “clerk”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
People who work in an office or shop, doing tasks such as keeping records, serving customers, or handling paperwork.
Grammar: Plural of 'clerk'; use it with plural verbs: 'The clerks are busy.'
Patterns
- clerks in a store
- office clerks
- bank clerks
The clerks at the front desk were very helpful.
Several clerks in the store were restocking the shelves.
Bank clerks must check every signature carefully.
verbintransitive
Works as a clerk, especially in an office or store.
Grammar: Third-person singular of 'clerk'; used with he, she, or it: 'She clerks at a law firm.'
Patterns
- clerks at a place
- clerks for someone
He clerks at a small law office downtown.
She clerks for a judge during the summer.
Word forms
| base form | clerk |
|---|---|
| singular | clerk |
Common combinations
- store clerk
- The store clerk helped me find the right size.
- office clerk
- Office clerks handle most of the filing and data entry.
- bank clerk
- The bank clerk counted the money twice.
Synonyms and how they differ
- assistant
- An assistant has a wider range of duties and may work closely with one person, while a clerk usually does routine office or sales work.
- salesperson
- A salesperson focuses on selling goods to customers, whereas a clerk may also handle paperwork and records.
Word family
Commonly confused: clerks or clerk?
clerks vs clerk
Remember that 'clerks' is either plural or a verb form; do not use it for one person. For one person, say 'a clerk'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'clerks' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Clerks' is plural, so it takes a plural verb: 'are working'. Option 1 uses a singular verb, option 2 uses 'a' with a plural noun, and option 4 mixes a plural noun with a singular verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “clerks”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.