london.localmean.com/clapped
clapped
KLAPT · /klæpt/
Local meaning
Extremely unattractive; in broader slang use, also badly worn, ruined, or in visibly poor condition.
The MLE-associated adjective “clapped” is often an especially strong appearance insult. Some speakers also extend it to objects, outfits, or situations that look damaged, poor, or finished. This slang sense is separate from the ordinary past tense of “clap”, as in an audience that clapped.
Examples in context
- That old sofa is completely clapped now.
- He deleted the picture after someone called it clapped.
- The trainers looked clapped after the muddy festival.
How it is used
When applied to a person, it is generally harsher than a neutral description and overlaps with “butters”. Applied to an object, it may focus more on condition than beauty.
Harsh, mocking, dismissive, or critical.
Banter, photographs, clothing, damaged objects, and online comments.
Informal peers, with careful attention to whether the target welcomes the banter.
Using it about a person can be cruel and can contribute to appearance-based bullying.
Spelling and scope
MLE-associated UK slang that has spread through youth culture, music, and social media; meaning and strength vary by speaker.
Common search forms stay discoverable without claiming that every London community uses one spelling.
Common patterns
- looks clapped
- proper clapped
- completely clapped
- clapped trainers
Read next
All words →Evidence and further reading
Sources support the definition, history, or usage layer. Local review remains welcome.
- clapped — MLE adjectiveWiktionary contributors
Community lexicographic record of the MLE appearance insult, supplemented by peer-reviewed vocabulary evidence.
- Using social media to infer the diffusion of an urban contact dialect: A case study of Multicultural London EnglishJournal of Sociolinguistics
Peer-reviewed study of the wider diffusion of MLE-associated vocabulary, with a documented list of 75 lexical items.
- Multicultural London EnglishCambridge University Press
Research overview of MLE as an urban contact variety used across ethnic backgrounds.