clothesline

1 of 2

noun

clothes·​line ˈklōz-ˌlīn How to pronounce clothesline (audio)
also ˈklōt͟hz-
: a line (as of cord) on which clothes may be hung to dry

clothesline

2 of 2

verb

clotheslined; clotheslining; clotheslines

transitive verb

: to knock down (someone, such as a football player) by catching by the neck with an outstretched arm

Examples of clothesline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
But those also sometimes resulted in unnecessary penalties, with the Mammoth taking three in the first period on an open-ice interference by Nick Schmaltz, a clothesline takedown of Ivan Barbashev by Logan Cooley officially called holding and a boarding minor on Mikhail Sergachev. ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026 Use a dryer to machine-dry bedding and clothing, instead of hanging clothes on a clothesline, which can cause laundry to become coated with pollen. Beth Biggee, EverydayHealth.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Balor clotheslined Mysterio, hit him with a chair multiple times before wrapping his head in between the chair and drop-kicking him into the corner. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026 The fight returned to the ring, and Rhodes clotheslined Fatu to the outside before hitting a dive. Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for clothesline

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clothesline was in 1830

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clothesline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clothesline. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

clothesline

noun
clothes·​line
-ˌlīn
: a line (as of cord) on which clothes may be hung to dry
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