1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
gave the stubborn handle a solid clout to make it turn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in influence
the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly
has a great deal of clout in the film industry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to punch
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
clouted the nail with the hammer and drove it all the way into the wood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of clout
Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
While current press-tour staples like visiting the Criterion Closet or listing your Letterboxd top four can be an exercise in proving your celebrity bona fides, there’s no better clout or legitimacy than being genuinely enthusiastic about your art.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Aug. 2023
The home run derby title went to St. Augustine senior first baseman M.J. Sweeney, who clouted six home runs in the first round and seven more in the final round to out-slug Madison senior outfielder Jake Jackson, who had six home runs in the first round but only three in the final.
—Rick Hoff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for clout
Noun
And yet the paper holds real clout in notionally liberal New York.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
While current press-tour staples like visiting the Criterion Closet or listing your Letterboxd top four can be an exercise in proving your celebrity bona fides, there’s no better clout or legitimacy than being genuinely enthusiastic about your art.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
Rapinoe, her replacement, clouted her kick well above the bar.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Aug. 2023
The home run derby title went to St. Augustine senior first baseman M.J. Sweeney, who clouted six home runs in the first round and seven more in the final round to out-slug Madison senior outfielder Jake Jackson, who had six home runs in the first round but only three in the final.
—Rick Hoff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for clout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clout
Noun
-
The endorsement is also a blow to former Ohio State University football coach and Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, who was considering entering the gubernatorial race, as well as Attorney General Dave Yost, who is running to succeed DeWine.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
9 May 2025
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President Donald Trump has failed to make Ed Martin the permanent U.S. prosecutor for the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., in what is a blow to his administration's goals.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
Noun
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Should disparate impact emerge as a legal argument, Trump’s executive order could have influence over the outcome.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
5 May 2025
-
How did working on the show influence your approach to creating music?—
Christopher Claxton,
Billboard,
5 May 2025
Verb
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That trend already spiraled into real-world hostility in 2024; while the song played at a bar in Germany, a crowd reportedly yelled slurs at a Black woman and punched her in the face, with one man allegedly Nazi-saluting.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2025
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With that win, Niemann punched his ticket to Oakmont for the U.S. Open.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The slap of firm government is the only way to right admissions, hiring, antisemitism, and staff bloat.—
Brian T. Allen,
National Review,
26 Apr. 2025
-
The other won two games to advance from play-in purgatory to eke into the playoffs proper and earn the right to experience the hard slap that is a 2-0 hole.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Only with Russia does Trump seem willing to forgo the leverage of America’s economic might and welcome a rogue regime into the ranks of normal nations.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
1 May 2025
-
The current administration may be bluffing when high-percentage tariffs are announced, but many automakers lack the leverage to risk another round at the poker table. Need a break?—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Guests can also hop a free shuttle to the hotel’s sister property, Skylark Negril Beach Resort, smack on Seven Mile Beach.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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Someone on the other team took a shot at him, and the puck tipped right under his visor and hit him in the eye, squarely smacking him right in the eyeball.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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My heart thumps, in sync with the pitter-patter of feet on the ground.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
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Outlook Single Double Triple Homer Texas moved quickly to bring in Pederson after trading Nathaniel Lowe, sacrificing a lot of fielding value but maintaining similar left-handed thump for the lineup.—
Tim Britton,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Sometimes international relations fell under the sway of a powerful hegemon—or of outright imperialism, where a single state, such as Rome, or an outside invader, such as the Ottoman empire, dominated its neighbors and provided them with security.—
Margaret MacMillan,
The Atlantic,
30 Apr. 2025
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At one point in the play, young, brainwashed Henry, under the villainous Brenner’s sway, can only surrender to the dark magic.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clout. Accessed 14 May. 2025.
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