clouts 1 of 2

noun

plural of clout
1
as in blows
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 influences
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

clouts

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of clout
as in slaps
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clouts
  1. blows
  2. influences
  3. slaps
  4. punches
  5. hits
  6. thumps
  7. smacks
  8. thuds
Noun
  • Their failure was perceived as part of a pattern of significant blows to union power during the Reagan era.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Zeller sets this up ably by incorporating the sledgehammer blows of the builder hired by Toby into percussive passages of Volker Bertelmann’s ominous score.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of blows
Noun
  • Among his influences Kjartansson counts Carolee Schneemann, Yoko Ono, Chris Burden, and Marina Abramović.
    — Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Because there are external influences on the reward—the prisoner who defects and is released may well be retaliated against under slightly different circumstances, and not under others.
    — Chris Lee, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of influences
Verb
  • Soto, looking irritated, reaches out and slaps him upside the head.
    — Sylvia Varnham O’Regan, Vanity Fair, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Helmut Haller, West Germany vs England, 1966 Ray Wilson misjudges his headed clearance, Haller gathers it on the edge of the box and, just before Bobby Moore can close him down, slaps a right-footed shot into the far corner.
    — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of slaps
Noun
  • The town, which has fewer than 1,000 residents and is just south of the Broward border, punches above its weight on the luxury real estate market.
    — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Labor Day Gaming Laptop Deals For gamers and power users seeking solid performance under $1,000, the MSI Cyborg 15 punches well above its weight.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of punches
Verb
  • Miami starter Tyler Phillips (5-6) allowed 3 runs and 5 hits over 5 innings.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026
  • There is a 16-person cast, about half of which is Chicago-based, and a six-piece live band, knocking out the Ellington hits.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of hits
Noun
  • The lower-vocal harmony struggles to stand out any time the deeper bass thumps.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Agents yelled from every direction, and the thumps of a news helicopter overhead were deafening.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
Definition of thumps
Verb
  • Other gamblers just don’t want to get swindled, so anything that smacks too clearly of insider trading can get you in trouble.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Byerley smacks the schmuck in the face and wins the election.
    — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of smacks
Noun
  • Rapp, up on Taft Point, heard two thuds.
    — Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Likewise, the score by Tony Doogan leans too heavily on generic electronic thuds, the kind that segue into a commercial break cliffhanger and an ad for blood pressure medicine.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Definition of thuds
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

clouting
clouts
cloverleaf
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Cite this Entry

“Clouts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clouts. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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