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
  • The impact of yesterday’s sharp drop in South Korean equities transmitted further into US markets overnight, spreading selling sentiment and dealing heavy blows to US semiconductor and memory stocks.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Guevera also reportedly came to blows with Eddie Kingston in 2022, leading to Kingston’s suspension.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of blows
Noun
  • Clever and snappy, fresh and silly, a winning combination of classic Looney Tunes gags and contemporary concerns (the press notes mention many influences including, no joke, The Insider).
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Typically, in the success stories, there's a strong bond between the child and the parents that managed to survive a lot of the negative influences that can happen along the journey.
    — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 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
  • His legacy will be most remembered for two painful gut punches to Bruins tradition.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Mayer had some early success with her jab, but Cameron increasingly took control as the fight progressed and landed the cleaner punches before hurting Mayer with a right hand in the eighth round.
    — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of punches
Verb
  • More importantly, the Grammy-winning album hits 104 weeks on the tally.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • This one from Quince hits at the perfect length, right below the hips, and the dark-brown collar and cuffs are incredibly rich-looking.
    — Anna Traver, InStyle, 29 Aug. 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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