1
as in trimming
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
a mother who's sad to see her little boy's curls clipped for the first time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hitting
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
the pitch clipped the batter's helmet with enough force to knock it clean off his head
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clipping
José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 7 Mar. 2026
With the help of that tiny clipping of moss, the defendants were eventually convicted of desecrating human remains in 2015.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2026
Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
The Jeep crashed into a concrete barrier after clipping the other car, destroying part of the barrier, Adams County Fire Rescue officials said.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clipping
Noun
One of them wore a dress with what looked like a clipping of a poster placed diagonally across her dress like a Miss Universe sash.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 7 Mar. 2026
With the help of that tiny clipping of moss, the defendants were eventually convicted of desecrating human remains in 2015.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
Recently, Kick, the livestreaming platform, published clipping stats from the period of March 5 through April 5.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
The Jeep crashed into a concrete barrier after clipping the other car, destroying part of the barrier, Adams County Fire Rescue officials said.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clipping
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clipping
Noun
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While no actual showers were possible, each astronaut had a personal kit including no-rinse shampoo, baby wipes, toothbrushes and shaving accessories.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
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While some users questioned the logic behind the move, others were particularly alarmed by the environment in which the shaving took place.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After making a slew of undrafted free-agent signings, the Broncos are trimming their offseason roster as rookie minicamp kicks off this weekend.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
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Brian Kemp signs 34 bills, trimming his backlog with days left to act on this year’s legislation.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
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For any questions, ranging from recommendations for hitting the town to extra amenities needed, the lobby desk was always readily available and seemed genuinely happy to help.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
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Valdez has received a six-game suspension and a fine for an undisclosed amount after hitting Story in the back with a 94-mph fastball with the first pitch of the at-bat, MLB announced Wednesday.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
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The syndicate desks engineered the pop by only offering a sliver of stock.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
3 May 2026
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On the morning of May 14, the 8% sliver of the waning moon will be positioned about 7½ degrees to the upper right of the red planet.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
Verb
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The back-to-back debates offered plenty of cutting moments as Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember Nithya Raman and reality television star Spencer Pratt faced off against each other.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
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Porter focused on cutting bureaucracy, calling for a single statewide development permit to streamline approvals and reduce delays.—
Noe Padilla,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Among the plaintiffs, two protesters faced minor charges that were quickly dropped—each accused of impeding a federal officer for slapping the agent’s phone from their hand—while the other two were charged with no crimes at all.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
7 May 2026
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That meant a pre-existing zero-tariff trade environment for exporters on both sides of the Atlantic was overridden, slapping new duties onto Scotch whisky and other spirits sent to America from Britain.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Music, both as one character’s defining trait and as a story-telling device — snippets of pop tunes across decades swiftly drive time shifts in the play’s first two acts — is a major aspect.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
9 May 2026
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The scientists also found that accuracy increased when the players communicated with snippets of code rather than natural language.—
Peter Hall,
Scientific American,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Lee was arrested April 3 in the 9300 block of Cicero Avenue after punching a man at a nearby gas station, police said.—
Dennis Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
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Nilan and Miller spent a lot of those minutes punching each other, Nilan as a Canadien and Miller as a Bruin, during the 1980s iteration of the ancient rivalry.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clipping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clipping. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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