clambake

noun

clam·​bake ˈklam-ˌbāk How to pronounce clambake (audio)
1
a
: an outdoor party
especially : a seashore outing where food is usually cooked on heated rocks covered by seaweed
b
: the food served at a clambake
2
: a gathering characterized by noisy sociability
especially : a political rally

Examples of clambake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to Rambling’s East Coast sources, the usually bustling Long Island clambake enclave — where everyone from Steven Spielberg to Paul McCartney to Brooke Shields owns sprawling properties — is suffering from its sleepiest season in recent memory. Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2025 The coast of Maine is my idea of what summertime is all about, from clambakes on the rocky shore to falling asleep to the sound of seagulls. Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025 For instance, the ballroom at Bell Works New Jersey can be booked for galas and weddings, and a sprawling rooftop deck provides a scenic milieu for outdoor corporate clambakes and private throngs. Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 Loreto: Start your Baja Sur weekend in Loreto, a seaside town famous for its blue whales, national parks, beach clambakes, and—thanks to a recent community movement—stargazing. Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clambake

Word History

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of clambake was in 1835

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Cite this Entry

“Clambake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clambake. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

clambake

noun
clam·​bake ˈklam-ˌbāk How to pronounce clambake (audio)
: an outdoor party
especially : an outing at which food is cooked usually on heated rocks covered by seaweed

More from Merriam-Webster on clambake

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