Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

clobber

1 American  
[klob-er] / ˈklɒb ər /

verb (used with object)

Slang.

  1. to batter severely; strike heavily.

    He tried to clobber me with his club.

  2. to defeat decisively; drub; trounce.

    Synonyms:
    lick, thrash, whip

  3. to denounce or criticize vigorously.

clobber 2 American  
[klob-er] / ˈklɒb ər /

noun

British, Australian Slang.

  1. (used with a plural verb) clothes.

clobber 3 American  
[klob-er] / ˈklɒb ər /

verb (used with object)

  1. to paint over existing decoration on (a ceramic piece).

clobber 4 American  
[klob-er] / ˈklɒb ər /

noun

South Midland and Southern U.S.

  1. clabber.

clobber 1 British  
/ ˈklɒbə /

verb

  1. to beat or batter

  2. to defeat utterly

  3. to criticize severely

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
clobber 2 British  
/ ˈklɒbə /

noun

  1. slang personal belongings, such as clothes and accessories

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
clobber 3 British  
/ ˈklɒbə /

verb

  1. (tr) to paint over existing decoration on (pottery)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Regionalisms

See clabber.

Etymology

Origin of clobber1

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; origin uncertain

Origin of clobber2

First recorded in 1875–80; of obscure origin; clobber 3

Origin of clobber3

First recorded in 1850–55; earlier, “to mend, patch up (clothes or shoes)”; of obscure origin

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Afridi was clobbered for a six and a four as Brook raced through the "nervous nineties" in two balls, going from 90 to 100 before raising his bat.

From Barron's

The Chinese factory that opened in the U.S. and clobbered its rivals.

From MarketWatch

After all, it’s not the first time that AI fears have clobbered the stocks, and they’ve always rebounded, as travel demand remains robust.

From Barron's

He didn't know whether to shout with relief—or clobber Specimen for causing him so much worry.

From Literature

That line of hers clobbers me over and over.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.