: one that claps: such as
a
: the tongue of a bell
b
: a mechanical device that makes noise especially by the banging of one part against another
c
: a person who applauds
Examples of clapper in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Several men held clapper sticks made of elderberry wood and began tapping a rhythm.
—
Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2023
Paired with veteran composer Jérôme Leroy for support and frequently leaning on Valencia and her fellow Chumash tribe members, Kamalu integrated deer hoof rattles, abalone shells and Valencia’s family’s clapper sticks into the soundtrack of the show.
—Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 June 2023
The door opens to the same clack of bell and clapper.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 13 July 2022
Well, that ringing MLS endorsement has lost its clapper.
—Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2023
During her remarkable tenure, White has worn more than 7,000 gowns (without any repeats) and has made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most frequent clapper in history (averaging 600 claps per episode), according to Glamour.
—Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2023
Think of the brain as a large church bell and the TMS device as the clapper.
—Christof Koch, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2017
The clapper?
—Dallas News, 12 Feb. 2023
Raised pentecostal happy-clapper catholic.
—Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 31 Dec. 2010
See More
Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2023
Paired with veteran composer Jérôme Leroy for support and frequently leaning on Valencia and her fellow Chumash tribe members, Kamalu integrated deer hoof rattles, abalone shells and Valencia’s family’s clapper sticks into the soundtrack of the show.
—Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 June 2023
The door opens to the same clack of bell and clapper.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 13 July 2022
Well, that ringing MLS endorsement has lost its clapper.
—Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2023
During her remarkable tenure, White has worn more than 7,000 gowns (without any repeats) and has made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most frequent clapper in history (averaging 600 claps per episode), according to Glamour.
—Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2023
Think of the brain as a large church bell and the TMS device as the clapper.
—Christof Koch, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2017
The clapper?
—Dallas News, 12 Feb. 2023
Raised pentecostal happy-clapper catholic.
—Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 31 Dec. 2010
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clapper.' 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
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of clapper was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing clapper
Dictionary Entries Near clapper
Cite this Entry
“Clapper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clapper. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
clapper
noun
clap·per
ˈklap-ər 
1
: the tongue of a bell
2
: one that makes a clapping sound
More from Merriam-Webster on clapper
Nglish: Translation of clapper for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about clapper
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