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 of clutter

Noun

• jumble
• variety
• assortment
• collage
• medley

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

If your entryway or mudroom is cluttered with shoes, a handy yet sleek storage system is the way to go—and this model by Steelside (with nearly 3,500 perfect five-star ratings) is currently 75% off. —Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026

Gaylord White, Lehman, Wilson housing projects created high square mountains; the avenue made the valley; trash bags cluttered together looked like out-of-place shrubbery. —Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026

Noun

My house often looks less like a cozy home and more like a whirlwind hit it—papers scattered across the floor, random items piled on every surface, and a mountain of miscellaneous clutter teetering on the counter. —Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026

Set up an organizational system in dressers and on shelves to keep remaining toys manageable and clutter-free. —Kaylei Fear, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Feb. 2026

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

Rhymes for clutter

• butter
• cutter
• flutter
• gutter
• mutter
• nutter
• putter
• rutter
• shutter
• sputter
• stutter
• utter

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