1
as in trimming
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
a mother who's sad to see her little boy's curls clipped for the first time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hitting
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
the pitch clipped the batter's helmet with enough force to knock it clean off his head
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clipping
José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 7 Mar. 2026
With the help of that tiny clipping of moss, the defendants were eventually convicted of desecrating human remains in 2015.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2026
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Apr. 2026
The recluse toxin binds to the surface of cells and scoots along it like a lawn mower, clipping the heads off molecules on this surface.
—Matthew Cordes, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clipping
Noun
One of them wore a dress with what looked like a clipping of a poster placed diagonally across her dress like a Miss Universe sash.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 7 Mar. 2026
With the help of that tiny clipping of moss, the defendants were eventually convicted of desecrating human remains in 2015.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
Lilac standards require little pruning other than snipping spent flower blossoms and clipping back stems in early summer to maintain shape.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Apr. 2026
The recluse toxin binds to the surface of cells and scoots along it like a lawn mower, clipping the heads off molecules on this surface.
—Matthew Cordes, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clipping
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clipping
Noun
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While no actual showers were possible, each astronaut had a personal kit including no-rinse shampoo, baby wipes, toothbrushes and shaving accessories.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
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While some users questioned the logic behind the move, others were particularly alarmed by the environment in which the shaving took place.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Oracle Park roared to life in the bottom of the fifth as San Francisco’s offense finally got to Alcantara, trimming the deficit to 8-3 as Drew Gilbert, Eric Haase and Luis Arraez all drove in a run apiece.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Across TikTok, Instagram and group chats, young people are constantly editing themselves, trimming anything that might come off as try-hard, awkward or embarrassing.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That passion to play every moment to the hilt, along with her powerful hitting stroke, that came with being a coach’s daughter.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
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Horner told a false story about hitting the little girl with his van and then strangling her in a panic, according to testimony of the case’s lead investigator, Texas Ranger Job Espinoza.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That’s in large part because many of the Democrats have only slivers of daylight between their policies, and ditto for the two Republicans.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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Two children watch him from behind while, in one sliver of the background on the top left side of the picture, a blazing red sunset overruns the sky.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Vesia surrendered a two-run triple to Swanson and an RBI single to Nico Hoerner, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to one.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Part of that includes 'cutting the pond' using machinery to dig through the sand and allow water to flow in and out.—
Jacob Wycoff,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The movie's December 2022 release was largely overshadowed by the aftermath of Smith slapping Chris Rock on stage at that year's Academy Awards.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
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This is simply slapping lipstick on a pig and, once again, taking no accountability.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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After filming the anticipated reunion, a snippet of an exchange among Ciara Miller, Westling Wilson and Amanda Batula was shared on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
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Record labels are doing this too, getting clippers to pair compelling video snippets with artists’ songs on places like TikTok, all in the hopes that the song is going to blow up.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The behavior of a suspect in the murders of two University of South Florida students from Bangladesh worsened over time from marijuana use, family members told deputies after his arrest three years ago for punching his brother in the face and kicking his mother in the back.—
Mike Schneider,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
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Ryan said Horner later confessed to punching and kicking the child in the head.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clipping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clipping. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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