clutter

1 of 2

verb

clut·​ter ˈklə-tər 

cluttered; cluttering; clutters

intransitive verb

chiefly dialectal : to run in disorder

transitive verb

: to fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness

a room cluttered with toys

—often used with up

Too many signs were cluttering up the street corner.

clutter

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a crowded or confused mass or collection

a clutter of motels and restaurants

b

: things that clutter a place

tried to minimize the unnecessary clutter in her house

2

: interfering radar echoes caused by reflection from objects (as on the ground) other than the target

3

chiefly dialectal : disturbance, hubbub

Synonyms

Noun

• agglomerate
• agglomeration
• alphabet soup
• assortment
• botch
• collage
• crazy quilt
• farrago
• gallimaufry
• grab bag
• gumbo
• hash
• hodgepodge
• hotchpotch
• jambalaya
• jumble
• jungle
• litter
• macédoine
• medley
• mélange
• menagerie
• miscellanea
• miscellany
• mishmash
• mixed bag
• montage
• motley
• muddle
• olio
• olla podrida
• omnium-gatherum
• pastiche
• patchwork
• patchwork quilt
• potpourri
• ragbag
• ragout
• rummage
• salad
• salmagundi
• scramble
• shuffle
• smorgasbord
• stew
• tumble
• variety
• welter

Examples of clutter in a Sentence

Verb

The garage was cluttered with tools.

Try to avoid cluttering your desk with books and papers.

Noun

There's a lot of unnecessary clutter in the house.

a scrapbook that was a clutter of snapshots, diary entries, letters, and newspaper clippings

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In a digital world cluttered with noise, your ability to create a true connection is your greatest asset. —Erik Huberman, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

This pan will pull its weight in the kitchen, doing the work of multiple pans (and minimizing the pieces of cookware cluttering your kitchen) while certainly not skimping on style. —Megan Wahn, Architectural Digest, 29 Nov. 2024

Noun

Having a space that is clear of clutter and with fewer stimuli creates feelings of calm and concentration. —Ana Morales, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2025

Savvy forwards can take advantage of the clutter and get away with bending the rules, too. —Mark Lazerus, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English clotteren to clot, from clot

First Known Use

Verb

1556, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

clutter

1 of 2 verb

clut·​ter ˈklət-ər 

: to fill or cover with a disorderly scattering of things

clutter up a room

clutter

2 of 2 noun

: a crowded or confused collection