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
Synonyms
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
Akili King, Essence, 20 Mar. 2024
When Edwards puts on the clamps, the odds of him stealing the ball feel just as likely as his opponent scoring.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 2 Mar. 2024
The coincidences humbled me; suddenly, the clamp clenching my atrium loosened a notch.
—Jessica Amento, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024
The machine is made of heavy-duty stainless steel and includes a countertop clamp and a cutting attachment for spaghetti and fettuccine noodles.
—Michelle Love, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Sep. 2023
Having a travel tripod, selfie stick, grip, or clamp can help achieve the most stable photo and video results.
—Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2024
Other notable features are the short clamp that prevents accidental kinks, a 30-minute automatic shut-off, and an 8-foot swivel cord.
—Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 25 Nov. 2023
By January, the engineers built an oblong metal clamp that attached to the container’s rim, which allowed an operator to lower a screwdriver-like head onto the fastener.
—Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 31 Jan. 2024
But obstetric clamps and wooden boxes containing toys have also been denied, Soeripto said.
—Claire Parker, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024
Clarissa Wei, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2024
This story contains graphic descriptions of violence. CNN —
The two young men are bloodied, their feet clamped in wooden stocks.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
The energy harvester is clamped around a wire carrying current, and uses electromagnetic induction to harvest energy from the magnetic field produced by the current.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Feb. 2024
Several of his teammates soon followed, clamping the Lightning (19-2, 13-2) in the final minute.
—Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2024
Lillard, the team’s offensive engineer, spent the series getting clamped by Jrue Holiday, a defensive specialist.
—Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2023
Equipment was also clamped onto the truck, appearing to hold the vehicle up as responders continued their investigation.
—Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 2 Feb. 2024
His lips, typically clamped in a rigid line, curled into a smile.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 20 Dec. 2023
The entire industry depends on this, the jaws of the fifth wheel clamping properly around the kingpin.
—Emily Gogolak, Harper's Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
Noun
The clamp for your thumb often falls off on most irons, this one doesn’t have that problem.
—Akili King, Essence, 20 Mar. 2024
When Edwards puts on the clamps, the odds of him stealing the ball feel just as likely as his opponent scoring.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 2 Mar. 2024
The coincidences humbled me; suddenly, the clamp clenching my atrium loosened a notch.
—Jessica Amento, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024
The machine is made of heavy-duty stainless steel and includes a countertop clamp and a cutting attachment for spaghetti and fettuccine noodles.
—Michelle Love, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Sep. 2023
Having a travel tripod, selfie stick, grip, or clamp can help achieve the most stable photo and video results.
—Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2024
Other notable features are the short clamp that prevents accidental kinks, a 30-minute automatic shut-off, and an 8-foot swivel cord.
—Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 25 Nov. 2023
By January, the engineers built an oblong metal clamp that attached to the container’s rim, which allowed an operator to lower a screwdriver-like head onto the fastener.
—Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 31 Jan. 2024
But obstetric clamps and wooden boxes containing toys have also been denied, Soeripto said.
—Claire Parker, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024
Verb
My college roommate, Emily, told me that her newborn son clamped onto her breasts for a week straight.
—Clarissa Wei, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2024
This story contains graphic descriptions of violence. CNN —
The two young men are bloodied, their feet clamped in wooden stocks.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
The energy harvester is clamped around a wire carrying current, and uses electromagnetic induction to harvest energy from the magnetic field produced by the current.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Feb. 2024
Several of his teammates soon followed, clamping the Lightning (19-2, 13-2) in the final minute.
—Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2024
Lillard, the team’s offensive engineer, spent the series getting clamped by Jrue Holiday, a defensive specialist.
—Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2023
Equipment was also clamped onto the truck, appearing to hold the vehicle up as responders continued their investigation.
—Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 2 Feb. 2024
His lips, typically clamped in a rigid line, curled into a smile.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 20 Dec. 2023
The entire industry depends on this, the jaws of the fifth wheel clamping properly around the kingpin.
—Emily Gogolak, Harper's Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clamp.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near clamp
Cite this Entry
“Clamp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clamp. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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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