1
dialectal, chiefly British
: a piece of cloth or leather : rag
2
: a blow especially with the hand
When she was naughty, she would get a clout from her mother.
also
: a hard hit in baseball
3
: a white cloth on a stake or frame used as a target in archery
clouted; clouting; clouts
1
: to cover or patch with a clout
clouted his worn-out shoe with a piece of leather
2
: to hit forcefully
He clouted 19 home runs last year.
He clouted him on the back of the head.
Did you know?
Slang Meaning of Clout
The slang sense of clout refers to attention, fame, popularity, and sometimes notoriety, especially the kind one may achieve on social media, whether by posting a controversial hot take or performing a stunt on video in the hope that it goes viral. Learn more >
Examples of clout in a Sentence
Noun
She used her political clout to have another school built.
gave the stubborn handle a solid clout to make it turn
Verb
He clouted 19 home runs last year.
He'll clout me around the head if he finds out what I've done.
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
There are only a handful of TV creators who have such clout in the industry.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2025
Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2025
Kerry Carpenter clouted a key home run for the Detroit Tigers and Cole Ragans has pitched two terrific games for the Kansas City Royals among younger players stepping up.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for clout
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
There are three key factors to any inmate's clout, according to Louis Gelormino, a Staten Island defense attorney.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
There are only a handful of TV creators who have such clout in the industry.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
There’s a real reckoning to be made about the casting process and how to move forward, especially given the type of influence and clout the show can create for its contestants.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2025
Kerry Carpenter clouted a key home run for the Detroit Tigers and Cole Ragans has pitched two terrific games for the Kansas City Royals among younger players stepping up.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for clout
Cite this Entry
“Clout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clout. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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