clobber
1 Americannoun
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
-
to beat or batter
-
to defeat utterly
-
to criticize severely
noun
verb
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; cf. clobber 3
Origin of clobber3
First recorded in 1850–55; earlier, “to mend, patch up (clothes or shoes)”; of obscure origin
Explanation
To clobber is to beat up or to defeat soundly in a game. You can say your favorite baseball team clobbers the competition if they win with a score of 10 to 0. When a boxer knocks out his adversary he clobbers him, and a bully clobbers his victim by punching him repeatedly. You can also clobber someone without shedding blood, as when you beat your dad in chess. The word clobber was originally World War II British air force slang, in the 1940s, and usually referred to aerial bombing.
Vocabulary lists containing clobber
Super Bowl Blowout: Epic Vocab for the Big Game
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American Football, 4th Quarter
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March: Book Two
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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.
At least they don’t reach out to clobber nearby cars.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
“I honestly don’t know,” Freddie Freeman said when asked about Ohtani’s ability to consistently clobber the ball.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2024
Unlike past downturns, which tended to clobber every employer in a given industry, this slowdown has left pockets of hiring even in hard-hit sectors.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 3, 2024
We're not trying to clobber you over the head with each show — just trying to make you aware.
From Salon • Dec. 5, 2023
“That’s why you’re asking all these questions. You’re not worried about Maya, you’re worried about the baby. God, I’m so going to get a five on this AP test. I’m going to clobber it.”
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
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.
