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
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
Noun
-
Ukraine’s constant innovation in drone technology is giving its military an edge on the battlefield, dealing major blows to Russia’s army and economy.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026 -
Israel and Lebanon are currently scheduled to engage in direct talks in Washington on Tuesday as Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade blows.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Your life story, your influences, that's unique.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
-
May 21 – June 20 Fresh influences could be arriving from your wider circles.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At the end of the night, during the bows, Butler slaps the guys playing her two antagonists gently on their butts, a gesture that would have jarred in most stagings but fully in keeping with the inclusive, humanistic vibe of this production.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The music also slaps, synthesizing industrial, electro-pop and iPod party music into a work that feels honest and the right kind of raunchy.—
Katie Bain,
Billboard,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Then Freeman woke up Friday morning to the news that was delivering gut punches throughout the baseball world, that Anderson had passed away Thursday at 53.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Benches cleared, and cooler heads did not prevail, though no punches were thrown.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Brett Baty will get the bulk of his playing time, especially since the utilityman also hits left-handed.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Up next, she's set to star in the romantic comedy Office Romance opposite Brett Goldstein, which hits Netflix in June 2026.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown, neighbors can still hear the thumps.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
An attack rears its ugly head, and the security team smacks it down.—
Neil J. Rubenking,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Then reality smacks you in the face.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Another day, as Mom loads the children into the car, Jeremy tosses a basketball against the house, again and again, his passive aggression registering through the ball’s unyielding thuds and his own frozen gaze.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The call, which the filing says was made within two minutes of the thuds, was to an employee of the company that owned the development where Okland was hosting the open house.—
Karen Cortes,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Clouts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clouts. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
