soft-shell clam
noun
: an elongated clam (Mya arenaria) of the east coast of North America that has a thin friable shell and long siphon and is eaten especially when steamed
called also soft-shelled clam, steamer
Examples of soft-shell clam in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The crab was blamed for wiping out the soft-shell clam industry on the US East Coast in the early 1900s.
—
Katie Hunt, CNN, 20 Jan. 2022
But diners will get a soft-shell clam belly broil made with Ipswich clams, a popular menu item in its day.
—Robert Simonson, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2020
Brian Beal, a biologist at the University of Maine at Machias who studies green crabs’ particularly severe damage to soft-shell clam fisheries, says these animals thrive in warmer waters.
—Laura Poppick, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2019
But soft-shell clam farming remains mostly uncharted territory, said Jeff Nichols, a spokesman for the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
—Washington Post, 3 June 2018
The crabs’ rise has coincided with the decline of the Maine soft-shell clam industry, which had its smallest harvest since the 1930s last year, due in part to an increase in predators, like crabs.
—Washington Post, 6 June 2018
The predators eat soft-shell clams, which are often used in fried clam rolls and clam strips.
—Washington Post, 3 June 2018
The inhabitants ate shellfish, of course, mostly soft-shell clams.
—Murray Carpenter, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2017
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Katie Hunt, CNN, 20 Jan. 2022
But diners will get a soft-shell clam belly broil made with Ipswich clams, a popular menu item in its day.
—Robert Simonson, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2020
Brian Beal, a biologist at the University of Maine at Machias who studies green crabs’ particularly severe damage to soft-shell clam fisheries, says these animals thrive in warmer waters.
—Laura Poppick, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2019
But soft-shell clam farming remains mostly uncharted territory, said Jeff Nichols, a spokesman for the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
—Washington Post, 3 June 2018
The crabs’ rise has coincided with the decline of the Maine soft-shell clam industry, which had its smallest harvest since the 1930s last year, due in part to an increase in predators, like crabs.
—Washington Post, 6 June 2018
The predators eat soft-shell clams, which are often used in fried clam rolls and clam strips.
—Washington Post, 3 June 2018
The inhabitants ate shellfish, of course, mostly soft-shell clams.
—Murray Carpenter, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2017
Dictionary Entries Near soft-shell clam
Cite this Entry
“Soft-shell clam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soft-shell%20clam. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share