Clip: meaning, definition, and synonyms

Clip is a versatile English word with several different meanings. It can mean to trim or cut something, to fasten things together, or a brief period or speed of movement. It is also used for a few noun senses, including a cartridge holder and a sharp blow.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Pronunciation

AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).

Accent: General American English

IPA: /klɪp/

Easy pronunciation: KLIP (approximate spelling).

Stress: One syllable; the whole word is stressed.

Verb meaning to trim or cut back, especially plants or hair.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Clip Meaning

to trim or cut down a little

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to cut back or trim something, especially plants or hair

Example: She clipped the hedge before summer.

Synonyms for this meaning:

crop — Can mean trim, but is less common and more context-specific than clip.
cut back — Works well when reducing the growth of plants.
lop — Usually used for cutting off branches or parts of plants.
prune — A strong everyday substitute when talking about plants and bushes.
snip — Fits small trimming actions, but is more specific to quick cuts.
trim — A close and common synonym for this sense.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Other Meanings of Clip

Meaning 2

to pinch or snip off

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to sever or remove by pinching or snipping

Example: She clipped off the dead leaves.

Synonyms for this meaning:

nip — Works for removing something with a quick pinching motion.
nip off — A direct match in this sense.
snip — Can mean cut something off with scissors or a quick cut.
snip off — A direct match in this sense.

Meaning 3

to make something shorter than intended

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to end something earlier than planned; to shorten it

Example: The editor clipped the speech to two minutes.

Synonyms for this meaning:

curtail — A good substitute for shortening something.
cut short — A very natural everyday synonym.

Meaning 4

to move along quickly

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to run at a moderately swift pace

Example: The horse clipped along the track.

Synonyms for this meaning:

jog — Possible in some contexts, but usually suggests running lightly rather than moving at a pace.
trot — Can fit for animals or people moving at a steady pace, but is more specific.

Meaning 5

a holder for cartridges

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a metal frame or container holding cartridges, usually for a gun

Example: He loaded the rifle with a clip.

Synonyms for this meaning:

cartridge clip — A direct, specific term.
cartridge holder — Describes the same object clearly.
magazine — Related and often confused with clip, but not always exactly the same object.

Meaning 6

a single stretch of time or rate

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a brief period or single occasion, as in the phrase at a clip

Example: He was scoring at a fast clip.

Synonyms for this meaning:

time — This is the closest supplied synonym, but it is broader and less exact than clip in this phrase.

Meaning 7

the act of cutting or snipping

Part of speech: noun

Definition: the act of clipping or snipping

Example: The clip of the hedge took only a few minutes.

Synonyms for this meaning:

clipping — A close noun form related to the action.
snip — Can name a small cut, but is less exact as a noun for the action.

Meaning 8

to fasten by using a clip

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to attach with a clip

Example: Clip the note to the folder.

Meaning 9

a piece of jewelry that attaches with a clip

Part of speech: noun

Definition: an article of jewelry that can be clipped onto a hat or dress

Example: She wore a pearl clip on her jacket.

Meaning 10

a small device for fastening things together

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a small fastener used to hold loose articles together

Example: Use a paper clip to keep the pages together.

Meaning 11

a quick hard hit

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a sharp slanting blow

Example: He got a clip on the ear.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Clip Synonyms

Similar Meaning

trim
prune
cut back

pinch or snip off

nip
snip
nip off
snip off

shorten or curtail

curtail
cut short

move at a moderately swift pace

jog
trot

cartridge holder or magazine

cartridge clip
cartridge holder
magazine

the act of clipping

clipping
snip

single occasion or rate, as in at a clip

time

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Common Mistakes

Confusing clip the noun meaning 'cartridge holder' with magazine: they are related, but not always identical.
Using clip to mean any fastener: not every fastener is a clip.
Mixing up clip meaning 'trim' with clip meaning 'attach with a clip'.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common meaning of clip?

The most common everyday meaning is to trim, cut back, or shorten something.

What does clip mean in clip the papers together?

Here, clip means to fasten or attach things using a clip.

What does at a clip mean?

It means at a certain rate or pace, often a fairly quick one.

Is a clip the same as a magazine?

Sometimes people use the words loosely, but technically they are not always the same thing.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.