clip

1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈklip 

clipped; clipping

transitive verb

1

: encompass

2

a

: to hold in a tight grip : clutch

b

: to clasp, fasten, or secure with a clip

clip

2 of 2

verb (2)

clipped; clipping

transitive verb

1

a

: to cut or cut off with or as if with shears

clip a dog's hair

clip an hour off traveling time

b

: to cut off the distal or outer part of

c(1)

: excise entry 3

(2)

: to cut items out of (a publication, such as a newspaper)

2

a

: curtail, diminish

b

: to abbreviate in speech or writing

3

: hit, punch

especially : to strike in passing

the car skidded off the road and clipped a lamppost

4

: to illegally block (an opposing player) in football

5

: to take money from unfairly or dishonestly especially by overcharging

the nightclub clipped the tourist for $200

intransitive verb

1

: to clip something

2

: to travel or pass rapidly

3

: to clip an opposing player in football

Synonyms of clip

Verb (2)

• shave
• cut
• trim
• snip

Examples of clip in a Sentence

Verb (2)

a mother who's sad to see her little boy's curls clipped for the first time

the pitch clipped the batter's helmet with enough force to knock it clean off his head

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The offer is valid for one day while supplies last and shoppers must redeem the offer by clipping the coupon in the myLidl app and presenting it at checkout, the company told USA TODAY. —Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 4 June 2026

The handle that pivoted downward then swings up to clip in place to the plier. —New Atlas, 4 June 2026

Win or lose, the plays will be clipped incessantly, jammed into highlight reels or viral tweets, and B-roll of fans flooding the streets past subway stops adorned in Knicks colors and Timberlands will be plastered all over a thousand documentaries. —Kyle Wagner, New York Daily News, 3 June 2026

And what’s more fitting for a show made for and about the clipping generation than a series strung together from a handful of viral clips and memorable one liners? —Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English clippen, from Old English clyppan; akin to Old High German klāftra fathom, Lithuanian globti to embrace

Verb (2)

Middle English clippen, from Old Norse klippa

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing clip

• a clip round the ear
• alligator clip
• banana clip
• clip art
• clip-clop
• clip joint
• clip-on
• clip someone's wings
• ear clip
• paper clip
• roach clip

Rhymes for clip

• blip
• chip
• dip
• drip
• flip
• grip
• grippe
• hip
• ip
• kip
• lip
• nip

Kids Definition

clip

1 of 4 verb

ˈklip 

clipped; clipping

: to fasten with a clip

clip the papers together

clip

2 of 4 noun

1

: a device that grips, clasps, or hooks

2

: a device for loading cartridges into a firearm

also : magazine sense 4a

3

: a piece of jewelry held by a clip

clip

3 of 4 verb

clipped; clipping

1

: to cut or cut off with or as if with shears

clip a hedge

clip out a news item

2

: to cut off or trim the hair or wool of

have the dog clipped

clip

4 of 4 noun

1

: a two-bladed instrument for cutting especially the nails

2

: a section of filmed, videotaped, or recorded material

3

: an act of clipping

4

: a sharp blow

5

: a rapid pace

move along at a good clip

Etymology

Verb

Old English clyppan "to clasp"

Verb

Middle English clippen "to cut," of Norse origin

Medical Definition

clip

noun

ˈklip 

: a device used to arrest bleeding from vessels or tissues during operations