Clobber Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

🔨

Add to dictionary

clobber

[ˈklɒbər ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Verb}

to strike

To hit someone or something hard and repeatedly. To defeat decisively.

Synonyms

beat, pummel, thrash, trounce.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
clobber	Typically used in a casual or informal context to describe defeating someone soundly, either physically or metaphorically. The underdog team clobbered the league champions. He got clobbered in the debate.
pummel	Typically used to describe repeatedly hitting someone or something with fists. Often implies a relentless or aggressive action. The boxer pummeled his opponent. The waves pummeled the shore.
beat	General term that can be used in both formal and informal contexts to describe winning against someone or something, whether in competitions, games, or fights. She beat her brother at chess. The police beat the criminal.
thrash	Often used in informal contexts to describe a vigorous or severe beating, either physically or in a competitive scenario. It can also imply wild or uncontrolled movement. They thrashed their rivals in the final match. The fish thrashed wildly in the net.
trounce	Used to describe defeating someone decisively and thoroughly, often in a competitive setting. It's more formal compared to 'clobber' and more emphatic than 'beat'. The visiting team trounced the home team. She trounced her opponents in the elections.

Examples of usage

He clobbered the thief with a baseball bat.
The team clobbered their opponents in the championship game.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

informal

Clothing or equipment, especially old or worn-out items.

Synonyms

attire, gear, outfit.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
clobber	Informal British English, often used to refer to clothing or personal belongings, sometimes in a slightly negative way or jest. He grabbed his clobber and headed out the door. All my clobber's scattered around the room after packing.
gear	Casual or informal context, usually referring to equipment, clothing, or tools needed for a specific activity or sport. Make sure to pack all your hiking gear. He showed up at the gym with his workout gear.
attire	Formal context, typically referring to the way one is dressed, often used in relation to specific dress codes or events. The invitation specified formal attire. He arrived at the gala in his finest attire.
outfit	Neutral and versatile usage, can refer to any set of clothes someone is wearing, more colloquial than 'attire' but less informal than 'clobber'. That's a stylish outfit you're wearing today. She spent the morning picking out the perfect outfit for the party.

Examples of usage

He was wearing his old clobber to work.
She packed her camping clobber for the trip.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Pop Culture

In comic books, superheroes often 'clobber' villains during epic battles, emphasizing their strength.
The term is frequently used in sports commentary when one team dominates another significantly.
Clobbering time is a famous phrase associated with the character Ben Grimm, aka The Thing, from Marvel Comics.

Psychology

The term can suggest aggressive behavior, often seen in competitive sports and conflicts.
Using 'clobber' in a metaphorical sense can indicate dominating verbally or emotionally in discussions.
Unexpectedly clobbering someone with kindness can also lead to a positive shift in interpersonal dynamics.

Literature

Clobber is often used in humorous contexts in literature, highlighting absurd or exaggerated confrontations.
In children’s stories, characters might clobber a problem with a clever solution, showing resilience.
The word conveys a playful tone in many dialogues, infusing energy and action into narratives.

Science

In physics, to 'clobber' can describe strong impacts, such as particles colliding at high speeds in accelerators.
The term can be used in comics and cartoons to describe the exaggerated, improbable physics of impacts.
Studying the effects of clobbering impacts helps scientists understand material strength and failure.

Origin of 'clobber'

Main points about word origin

This word likely comes from a 19th-century British slang term meaning to strike heavily.
It may have roots in the Old English word 'claef' meaning to strike or break.
An alternative theory connects it to the dialect 'clobber,' meaning to pound or beat.

The word 'clobber' originated in the early 19th century, derived from the Middle English word 'clabbern' meaning 'to pelt with a club.' Over time, the meaning expanded to include the idea of defeating someone decisively. In more recent usage, 'clobber' has also come to refer to clothing or equipment, especially in a casual or informal context.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,094, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.

...
38091 saxifrage
38092 illogicality
38093 misapprehend
38094 clobber
38095 chiropodist
38096 juicing
38097 confuting
...