as in to hush
to stop talking
the little girl clammed up when the doctor came into the room
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Recent Examples of clam up
While Lydia wallows in the residual pain, Paul has clammed up.
—
Judy Berman, TIME, 12 Dec. 2024
While Lydia wallows in the residual pain, Paul has clammed up.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 12 Dec. 2024
Judges struggle to name favorite cheese Ask a judge to pick their favorite and most will clam up, dodge the question or offer a long, unranked list.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024
One social worker said that a girl clammed up in a recent interview that her mother was invited to.
—Scooty Nickerson, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024
City clams up over chance of lawsuit Antoine Bryant, director of planning and development, apologized to City Council members for soliciting the contract to pay for the murals using city money without the nine-member body's approval, which is required.
—Detroit Free Press, 25 Jan. 2024
Jim Harbaugh will coach not to lose and clam up just enough to let Ohio State’s amazing skill talent pull the upset late.
—J. Brady McCollough, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2023
When pandemic lockdowns clammed up her restaurant clientele, Ms. Brown began selling her oysters from her flatbed truck near her farm in Little Bay, New Hampshire.
—Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Sep. 2023
Local vape-shop owners clammed up as scrutiny over their sales practices increased.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 22 June 2023
Judy Berman, TIME, 12 Dec. 2024
While Lydia wallows in the residual pain, Paul has clammed up.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 12 Dec. 2024
Judges struggle to name favorite cheese Ask a judge to pick their favorite and most will clam up, dodge the question or offer a long, unranked list.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024
One social worker said that a girl clammed up in a recent interview that her mother was invited to.
—Scooty Nickerson, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024
City clams up over chance of lawsuit Antoine Bryant, director of planning and development, apologized to City Council members for soliciting the contract to pay for the murals using city money without the nine-member body's approval, which is required.
—Detroit Free Press, 25 Jan. 2024
Jim Harbaugh will coach not to lose and clam up just enough to let Ohio State’s amazing skill talent pull the upset late.
—J. Brady McCollough, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2023
When pandemic lockdowns clammed up her restaurant clientele, Ms. Brown began selling her oysters from her flatbed truck near her farm in Little Bay, New Hampshire.
—Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Sep. 2023
Local vape-shop owners clammed up as scrutiny over their sales practices increased.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 22 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clam up
Verb
-
The magazine saw itself as literary but not self-serious; if the stereotypical National Geographic story was a walk through the jungle recounted in hushed, awed tones, its Outside equivalent was a little dustier, wilder, and less reverent.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2025
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In his nearly 30-minute remarks, the 82-year-old often sounded hushed, with several distinct outbursts in defense of Social Security and its recipients.—
Isabella Murray,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The problem started with the pandemic; although road traffic dried up, the death rate leapt by 20 percent.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
9 Apr. 2025
-
This can be risky because if that source dries up, the business could struggle.—
Adam Fineberg,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The love that once dared not speak its name now can’t shut up.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2025
-
It is put up or shut up time for the UCLA men’s basketball team.—
Jim Alexander,
Orange County Register,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clam up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clam%20up. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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