# clapped

/ˈkɫæpt/ (US) · /klˈæpt/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/clapped
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

very old, broken, or in bad condition. You use this to describe things like cars or buildings that look like they are falling apart.

For teachers: worn out, exhausted, or in a state of advanced disrepair. Often used in British English to describe machinery or vehicles that have reached the end of their useful life.

## Examples

- He drives a clapped out old car.
- The landlord refused to replace the clapped boiler even though it made a loud banging noise every night.
- After twenty years of heavy use in the factory, the machinery was completely clapped and required constant maintenance just to keep the production line moving.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The car clapped yesterday." but "The car is clapped." — In this slang sense, the word is an adjective describing a state, not a verb describing an action.

## Usage notes

- Commonly appears in the phrasal adjective form 'clapped out'. Often follows a linking verb like 'is' or 'looks'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.