1
: a device designed to bind or constrict or to press two or more parts together so as to hold them firmly
2
: any of various instruments or appliances having parts brought together for holding or compressing something
clamped; clamping; clamps
1
: to fasten with or as if with a clamp
clamp two boards together
2
a
: to place by decree : impose
—often used with on
clamped on a curfew after the riots
b
: to hold tightly
Examples of clamp in a Sentence
Verb
The surgeon clamped the vein.
He clamped the two pieces of wood together.
The bit was clamped firmly between the horse's teeth.
He clamped his mouth shut and refused to speak.
Recent Examples on the Web
Joy Emeh, Health, 15 Feb. 2025
From nipple clamps to paddles to sensory deprivation tanks, here’s what the stars say about your erotic nature.
—Colin Bedell, Them, 12 Feb. 2025
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
In one post, Al Shanti shared a video of her 6-year-old, Alma, whose little hands were clamped over her ears to mask the sound of bombardment.
—Helena Skinner, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clamp
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Noun
Trocars allow the surgeon to pass the laparoscope and surgical tools like scissors and clamps into the abdomen.7
There are two common forms of laparoscopic surgery:38
Laparoscopic excision: The surgeon uses the laparoscope to find endometriosis lesions.
—Joy Emeh, Health, 15 Feb. 2025
From nipple clamps to paddles to sensory deprivation tanks, here’s what the stars say about your erotic nature.
—Colin Bedell, Them, 12 Feb. 2025
Verb
The country's gender pay gap has been nearly clamped shut, and Norwegian homes and workplaces display a broad understanding of caregiving as indispensable labor that can and should be evenly distributed by both parents with society's support.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
In one post, Al Shanti shared a video of her 6-year-old, Alma, whose little hands were clamped over her ears to mask the sound of bombardment.
—Helena Skinner, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clamp
Cite this Entry
“Clamp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clamp. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clamp
1 of 2 noun
: a device that holds or presses parts together firmly
clamp
2 of 2 verb
: to fasten or tighten with or as if with a clamp
Medical Definition
clamp
1 of 2 noun
: any of various instruments or appliances having parts brought together for holding or compressing something
especially
: an instrument used to hold, compress, or crush vessels and hollow organs and to aid in surgical excision of parts
an arterial clamp
clamp
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to fasten with or as if with a clamp
the descending thoracic aorta was clamped—W. A. Banks et al.
W. A. Banks et al.Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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