clobber

Name: clobber, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈklɒb.ə(ɹ)/

//ˈklɒb.ə(ɹ)// verb

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“clobber” is an uncommon English word, ranked #68,099 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#68,099
frequency rank, English: 7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To hit or bash severely; to seriously harm or damage.

Key facts for clobber
Property	Value
Headword	clobber
Language	English
Part of speech	Verb
IPA	/ˈklɒb.ə(ɹ)/
Letters	7
Frequency rank	#68,099
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “clobber” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). clobber lands here:

#68,099

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for clobber is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈklɒb.ə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #68,099 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

clobber doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: British slang from 1941; possibly onomatopoeic of the sound of detonated bombs in the distance. The correct English form is clobber, spelled C-L-O-B-B-E-R.

Definition

1
To hit or bash severely; to seriously harm or damage.
2
To overwrite (data) or override (an assignment of a value), often unintentionally or unexpectedly.

Etymology

British slang from 1941; possibly onomatopoeic of the sound of detonated bombs in the distance.

This word in other languages

zurrar(Español)tabassage(Français)dreschen(Deutsch)arrebentar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "clobber"?

"clobber" is spelled C-L-O-B-B-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈklɒb.ə(ɹ)/.

What does "clobber" mean?

As a verb, "clobber" means: To hit or bash severely; to seriously harm or damage.

How do you pronounce "clobber"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "clobber" is /ˈklɒb.ə(ɹ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "clobber"?

British slang from 1941; possibly onomatopoeic of the sound of detonated bombs in the distance. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “clobber”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is C-L-O-B-B-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈklɒb.ə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.