Clout

/klaʊt/ · noun

Meaning

(informal) Influence or effectiveness, especially political..

Definitions by Sense

1. (informal) Influence or effectiveness, especially political.
2. A blow with the hand.
3. (baseball, informal) A home run.
4. (archery) The center of the butt at which archers shoot; probably once a piece of white cloth or a nail head.
5. (regional, dated) A swaddling cloth.
6. (archaic) A cloth; a piece of cloth or leather; a patch; a rag.
7. (archaic) An iron plate on an axletree or other wood to keep it from wearing; a washer.
8. A clout nail.

Example Sentences

Having relinquished his clout in City Council to run for a place on the county board, and having lost stature by reason of his failure to win the presidency, Duffy was in no position to seek the party chairmanship for himself

[…]ethics officers themselves often complain that they can recommend but have little clout with which to create real change.

But the rise of multiracialism is not all Kumbaya choruses and “postracial” identity. The N.A.A.C.P. criticized the census change, fearing that since so few in the black community are of fully African descent, mass attrition to a mixed-race option could threaten political clout and Federal financing.

The chopped mushrooms add depth to both the Waitrose and the Go-Go Vegan recipe, but what gives the latter some real clout on the flavour front is a teaspoon of Marmite.

It's funny how they judge you when they see you made a change / I poured another four just to take away the pain / My friends weren't my friends, they was ^([sic]) looking for some clout / I had what they wanted so they always came around

Rowan, like most teenagers on the internet, wasn’t after fame or money, though he made a decent amount — at one point $10,000 a month and more, he said. What Rowan wanted was clout. On the internet, clout is a social currency that can be used to obtain just about anything. Rack up enough while you’re young, and doors everywhere begin to open.

I'm that girl all alone in the crowd / 'Cause all of you's are followers and do it for the clout

‘Such a clout on the ear as you gave me… But I soon taught you.’

Synonyms for clout

Antonyms for clout

Related Words

Word Forms

• clouts
• clouting
• clouted

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions