"He gained clout in the industry after his innovative startup secured major funding."
"Politicians seek the clout of celebrity endorsements to reach broader audiences."
"The coach used his clout to recruit top players for the team."
"Her social media clout helped her advocate for the charity effectively."
Clout comes from the Middle English clouten, meaning to strike or hit, which itself derives from the Old English clūtan or clūtian, related to the verb clūtian (to strike, beat). The initial sense was literally a blow or strike, then extended to “a forceful exertion” and figurative power. By early modern English, clout began to represent social influence and prestige as a metaphorical “blow” of leverage, particularly in political or social spheres. The modern sense of influence—often informal or unofficial power—emerged as society valued informal networks and reputational capital. The pronunciation settled on /klaʊt/ in most varieties, with spelling stabilizing over centuries as the word moved from a concrete physical impact to a more abstract sense of leverage and fame. First known uses appear in 15th–16th century texts, where “clout” described both a strike and dented reputation; by the 17th–18th centuries, its metaphorical meaning of influence became common in literature and political discourse, a usage that continues today in everyday idiomatic English.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Clout" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Clout" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Clout"
-out sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /klaʊt/. Start with a hard /k/ to form a quick stop, then the diphthong /aʊ/ as in cow, followed by the final /t/. The word is one syllable with primary stress on the whole word. For tips, blend the sounds with no extra vowel between /aʊ/ and /t/; keep the tongue high-front for /k/ and drop the jaw to reach /aʊ/ smoothly. Listen to native examples to synchronize timing. IPA: /klaʊt/
Two common errors: 1) Over-aspirating the final /t/, giving a t-glide or an extra puff of air; 2) Misplacing the /aʊ/ diphthong into a rough /ɑʊ/ or /ɔː/ sound, making it sound like ‘clawt’ or ‘clote’. Correction: keep /aʊ/ as a tight diphthong starting with /a/ and gliding to /ʊ/ without a break, and finish with a clean, unreleased or lightly released /t/ depending on speed. Practice with minimal pairs like /klaʊt/ vs /klɔːt/ to hear the difference.
In US and UK, /klaʊt/ is similar, but rhoticity affects surrounding vowels in connected speech. US speakers may link /l/ and /aʊ/ with a quicker transition, while UK speakers often have a crisper /t/ release, and Australian speech can have a slightly lower /aʊ/ onset and a more plosive /t/. Overall, core vowel is /aʊ/; differences lie in vowel length, voicing, and consonant release timing, not in the core phonemes.
The challenge is the diphthong /aʊ/ in a closed monosyllabic structure. Many speakers shorten or over-shorten the vowel, producing /klɑːt/ or /klɔːt/. The final /t/ can be unreleased in casual speech, or lightly aspirated in careful speech, which changes the perceived ending. Maintaining a crisp /aʊ/ glide while keeping a clean, quick /t/ is the main difficulty.
The single-syllable structure with a strong onset /kl/ and a tight /aʊ/ nucleus means the transition between consonants and vowel is compact. A frequent search queries arise about whether final /t/ is released; many speakers reduce it in connected speech. You’ll find that precise, short release or glottal stop can be common in rapid speech, affecting clarity. Emphasize the immediate /t/ after /aʊ/ when clarity matters.
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