as in to hush
to stop talking
the little girl clammed up when the doctor came into the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples of clam up in a Sentence
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
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
With less contact between the user's hand and the electronics, plus more airflow, users may find their hands clamming up less easily during long hours of intense use.
—Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 2 Feb. 2023
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
As the vibrant Sun in your communication sector is smothered by wet blanket Saturn in your inhibited 12th house, your fears of being misunderstood could provoke you to clam up.
—Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2023
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
With less contact between the user's hand and the electronics, plus more airflow, users may find their hands clamming up less easily during long hours of intense use.
—Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 2 Feb. 2023
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
As the vibrant Sun in your communication sector is smothered by wet blanket Saturn in your inhibited 12th house, your fears of being misunderstood could provoke you to clam up.
—Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clam up
Verb
-
Throughout the first act, the auditorium was hushed.Tomas Weber, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024
-
But acting as if those ways are to be hushed is the way of the old world.Danyel Smith, Essence, 16 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
See the Actors Who Have Played the Scooby Gang Members Through the Years Lillard’s offers dried up after Scooby-Doo 2, and the actor took years to reflect on the direction of his life and career.Victoria Edel, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
-
All that, plus the constant lure of other states’ higher tax incentives, has stifled the industry’s rebound, drying up job opportunities and sparking an exodus of film and TV workers.Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Closure: Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer producer Spring Films was the latest UK indie to shut up shop.Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024
-
The same goes for the musical score, which rarely shuts up.Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 11 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near clam up
Cite this Entry
“Clam up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clam%20up. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share