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
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
The Ewpjdk 4-Pack Garden Pruning Shears come with four pruning shears for the price of one and are versatile enough to take on all kinds of fall pruning tasks, like harvesting, clipping, deadheading, and cutting off the final fruits of the season, before winter comes.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025
Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025
Our favorite feature is the removable wristlet strap and keyring, which makes clipping it to a carry-on backpack, weekender, or duffel bag a breeze.
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clipping
Noun
Use a rake to remove any debris such as grass clippings, leaves, branches, and twigs and to de-thatch areas where dry, brown grass prevents water and sun from reaching the soil.
—Verb
Also included in the file is a newspaper clipping of a statement from Earhart’s mother, Amy Otis Earhart, from July 24, 1949.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for clipping
Noun
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In a new interview on comedian Jay Mohr's Mohr Stories podcast, Gibbons claimed shaving brand Gillette once offered him and Hill, who died in 2021, $1 million each to shave their iconic beards for a commercial.—
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The modern equivalent isn’t literal coin shaving.—
Verb
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Trailing most of the game, Dallas couldn't get a fourth-quarter stop after trimming the deficit to three points with 10 minutes remaining.—
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That’s in part by trimming the approval process.—
Verb
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The 49ers went three and out on their next two possessions and were unsuccessful on throws outside the numbers after hitting the middle of the field with three completions on the scoring drive.—
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After hitting just 4 of 30 threes against the Pacers, Miami opened 4 for 4 from distance, shot 8 for 16 on threes in the first half and finished 17 for 32.—
Noun
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Here, a sliver of orangey-red pops against a cool-toned ruby hue.—
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Like these forerunners, the pleasures of Knight’s A Thousand Blows, which premiered all six episodes of its second season on Hulu Friday, lies in looking back on that thin sliver of time, about 15 years ago, when anachronistic old-timey crime was in vogue.—
Verb
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The president argued that inflation was already low enough to start cutting rates.—
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Trump has repeatedly blasted Powell for the Fed not cutting interest rates as much and as quickly as the president has demanded since entering the White House in January 2025.—
Verb
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Mimicking what happened seven years earlier after the Dallas playoff win in Charlotte, the players ran back outside and took a lap around the stadium, slapping hands with delirious home fans.—
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That means not just the sound of rubber slapping the pavement or the whir of electric motors—the soundtrack of a Formula E race—but something new and artificial or, more generously, bespoke.—
Noun
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Iman commemorated the event in a second Instagram post with snippets of the pair during their wedding ceremony at St James' Episcopal Church in Florence, Italy, on June 6, 1992.—
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They can be found on our YouTube channel, which is Echoes of the City KC, along with other shorts and snippets of the other documentaries.—
Verb
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The University of Miami defeated Ole Miss, 31-27, in a Fiesta Bowl semifinal thriller, punching its ticket to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.—
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That footage showed Jones elbowing, stomping and punching the boy, and prompted the police investigation.—
Cite this Entry
“Clipping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clipping. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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