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
The atmosphere had changed—security kept an eye out for media to turn away at the entrance, and golfers clammed up when asked what was going on at the club.
—
Dan Alexander, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Everyone in the theater clammed up, as if embarrassed to have endorsed Max with laughter.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2026
Your language model would clam up from time to time to conserve its resources.
—Amanda Gefter, Quanta Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
Less sweat-trapping than many synthetic jackets, the Oreus kept me from clamming up while ski-touring in five-degree temps and dissipated sweat quickly when worn after strenuous climbs.
—Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
But when co-host Maria McErlane looked for details, Norton clammed up.
—Joseph Wilkinson, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
The 2025-26 campaign and postseason — the Bears are two wins away from next month’s Super Bowl LX after winning the division and beating the Packers twice — so far has made their snarky detractors clam up.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
The famously outgoing media personality clammed up, on air and off, thanks to a terrifying stranger.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 7 Dec. 2025
But in Nogent, a town of around 4,000, most residents clam up at the mention of her name today.
—Hannah Goeke, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Dec. 2025
Dan Alexander, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Everyone in the theater clammed up, as if embarrassed to have endorsed Max with laughter.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2026
Your language model would clam up from time to time to conserve its resources.
—Amanda Gefter, Quanta Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
Less sweat-trapping than many synthetic jackets, the Oreus kept me from clamming up while ski-touring in five-degree temps and dissipated sweat quickly when worn after strenuous climbs.
—Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
But when co-host Maria McErlane looked for details, Norton clammed up.
—Joseph Wilkinson, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
The 2025-26 campaign and postseason — the Bears are two wins away from next month’s Super Bowl LX after winning the division and beating the Packers twice — so far has made their snarky detractors clam up.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
The famously outgoing media personality clammed up, on air and off, thanks to a terrifying stranger.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 7 Dec. 2025
But in Nogent, a town of around 4,000, most residents clam up at the mention of her name today.
—Hannah Goeke, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clam up
Verb
-
The years have only intensified Zimmerman’s mournful, hushed vocal performance, and Dream Me a Dream often plays out like a bedtime story spun by a beloved elder, accompanied by soft strings, shakers, and even a synth or two.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
19 June 2026
-
The same idea is being explored elsewhere in London, though not always with the same hushed, Westminster polish.—
Lela London,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The Social Security trust fund, which supports over 75 million Americans, is projected to dry up in 2032.—
Ignacio Calderon,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
-
By the time execution numbers drop, the creative pipeline dried up months ago.—
Nir Bashan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Verb
-
Our early testing has already shown that Siri AI knows when to shut up, and that’s very much by design.—
Thomas Ricker,
The Verge,
12 June 2026
-
The audience is there in the flesh, shutting up and paying attention to your talent.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clam up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clam%20up. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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