cleat

American  

[kleet] / klit /

noun

• cleats
  plural

1. a wedge-shaped block fastened to a surface to serve as a check or support.

   He nailed cleats into the sides of the bookcase to keep the supports from slipping.

2. a strip of metal, wood, or the like, fastened across a surface, as a ramp or gangway, to provide sure footing or to maintain an object in place.

3. a strip of wood, metal, etc., fastened across a surface, as of a plank or series of adjacent planks, for strength or support.

4. a conical or rectangular projection, usually of hard rubber, or a metal strip with sharp projections, built into or attached to the sole of a shoe to provide greater traction.

5. a shoe fitted with such projections.

6. a metal plate fastened to the sole or heel of a shoe, to protect against wear.

7. Shipbuilding. a hook-shaped piece of metal supporting a small structural member.

8. Also called belaying cleat. Nautical. an object of wood or metal having one or two projecting horns to which ropes may be belayed, especially as fixed to the deck, bulkhead, or stanchion of a vessel.

9. the cleavage plane of coal as found in a mine.

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verb (used with object)

1. to supply or strengthen with cleats; fasten to or with a cleat.

cleat British  

/ kliːt /

noun

1. a wedge-shaped block, usually of wood, attached to a structure to act as a support

2. a device consisting of two hornlike prongs projecting horizontally in opposite directions from a central base, used for securing lines on vessels, wharves, etc

3. a short length of angle iron used as a bracket

4. a piece of metal, leather, etc, attached to the sole of a shoe to prevent wear or slipping

5. a small triangular-shaped nail used in glazing

6. any of the main cleavage planes in a coal seam

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verb

1. to supply or support with a cleat or cleats

2. to secure (a line) on a cleat

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cleats
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of cleat

1350–1400; Middle English clete wedge, cognate with Old High German klōz lump, ball, Dutch kloot; akin to clot

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cleat cleats

Barely five years ago, baseball looked like it had one cleat in the tomb.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

In this instance, the stoppage lasted several minutes as Brazilian referee Raphael Claus and the Video Assistant Referee team studied Balogun’s cleat landing on top of Tarik Muharemović’s leg.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

And the Boys of Summer from 1994 have a message for the men who will follow in their cleat marks: Your life and your sport are about to change forever.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026

A French cleat is best for holding the artwork against the wall.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 22, 2024

I remember Coach M telling them to put me in the cart and drive me down the hill to the doctor’s, and I saw JP standing in front of me, holding the cleat I’d thrown.

From "Winger" by Andrew Smith

Fox said the plan is to do a considerable amount of turf replacement, but not because he expects the pristine grass to take a beating from the cleats of massive humans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

Growing up in Quebec, the midfielder said he was fitted for hockey skates long before he tried on soccer cleats.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

“Footballs everywhere, cleats everywhere, basketballs, jerseys,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

Keeney talks about the “museum-grade” and “investment-grade” quality of the cleats.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

As usual, we gathered around the bus with our cleats slung over our shoulders, waiting for the bus doors to open.

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor

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