as in hitting
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
sick of being insulted, he swung around and clocked his tormentor hard enough to knock him off his bar stool
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clocking
The first thing that struck me was the gold necklace’s incredibly lightweight nature, clocking in at just 25 grams.
—
Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 31 Mar. 2026
Two beloved doctors are clocking out of Grey’s Anatomy.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 25 Mar. 2026
Imagine clocking off an hour earlier every single day and still taking home the same salary.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
The seasonal squash & quinoa bowl ($10) — with radishes, fennel and citronette — is a bargain and a beast, clocking in at a full 2 pounds.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Another budget-minded Chromebook at a serious price drop, the IdeaPad Slim 3i is lightweight and features epic battery life, clocking in at over 15 hours.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
Bin Mutalib also praised the country’s local box office figures during his session, stating that the country hit a record high in 2025, clocking RM244 million ($62 million) in receipts.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
From the airport to Epcot, my mom wore the lightweight Brooks Glycerin for five days straight, clocking a total of 109,050 steps.
—Irene Richardson, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
The 577-foot deck was held in place by 16 chain cables, each 1,714 feet long and made from 935 wrought iron bars, clocking in at 121 tons each.
—Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 31 Mar. 2026
Two beloved doctors are clocking out of Grey’s Anatomy.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 25 Mar. 2026
Imagine clocking off an hour earlier every single day and still taking home the same salary.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
The seasonal squash & quinoa bowl ($10) — with radishes, fennel and citronette — is a bargain and a beast, clocking in at a full 2 pounds.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Another budget-minded Chromebook at a serious price drop, the IdeaPad Slim 3i is lightweight and features epic battery life, clocking in at over 15 hours.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
Bin Mutalib also praised the country’s local box office figures during his session, stating that the country hit a record high in 2025, clocking RM244 million ($62 million) in receipts.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
From the airport to Epcot, my mom wore the lightweight Brooks Glycerin for five days straight, clocking a total of 109,050 steps.
—Irene Richardson, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
The 577-foot deck was held in place by 16 chain cables, each 1,714 feet long and made from 935 wrought iron bars, clocking in at 121 tons each.
—Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clocking
Verb
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Gerhardt Konig hoped Thursday to persuade a Hawaiian jury that hitting his wife repeatedly with a rock was self-defense.—
April 2,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The film also was shown at a number of other festivals before hitting the awards circuit as the Palestinian entry for this year’s Academy Awards.—
Zach Dennis,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The man responded by punching the child's father in the nose, court documents said.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Michigan made a statement on Sunday, punching its ticket to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Those of us not actually knocking hung back in the stairwell; even so, some residents were hesitant to engage.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In the fall, residents learn about the process through public service announcements, local media, door-knocking outreach or word of mouth.—
Celina Su,
The Conversation,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Airlines across the region, like Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific are slapping hefty fuel surcharges on flights; Vietnam and the Philippines are even weighing whether to ground planes.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
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But every so often there comes a day that is so different—so unusual—so spectacular that its happening can only be chalked up to old-fashioned, knee-slapping good luck.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The oil shortage has also affected public services and food transportation, prompting rare protests in some cities, with citizens banging pots and pans and lighting bonfires in the darkness.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
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Many of us at City Hall also have been banging our heads against the wall about it, but the situation is more grim than most Chicagoans realize.—
Bill Conway,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The wing struck the roof of a home before slamming into an exterior wall of a second home next door.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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The pair have been in physical altercations in the past, including Manning's 2012 arrest for allegedly punching, scratching, kicking and choking Hartman – whom media outlets have referred to as Manning's former make-up artist and assistant – and slamming her head against the floor and wall.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Los Angeles, Jonathon Redondo-Rosales was charged with assault for smacking an agent with a hat after a car struck him.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
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But a leadoff walk in the top of the 9th allowed Eugenio Suárez to knock in what would prove to be the winning run, smacking a double to left center field and scoring pinch runner Javier Sonoja.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That didn’t stop Uthmeier from chest-pounding across social-media platforms.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Mar. 2026
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That is when Peralta started pounding the rookie inside.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clocking. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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