Illustration of clam
- a incurrent orifice
- b siphon
- c excurrent orifice
- d mantle
- e shell
- f foot
often attributive
1
a
: any of numerous edible marine bivalve mollusks living in sand or mud
b
: a freshwater mussel
2
: a stolid or closemouthed person
3
4
informal
: dollar sense 1
Examples of clam in a Sentence
Noun (2)
it must take a whole lot of clams to buy a car like that
Recent Examples on the Web
Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Feb. 2026
Superb clam pie awaited us, with freshly shucked bivalves, tons of garlic, and a touch of parsley and chile flakes.
—Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Feb. 2026
Daisy MacLellan, Travel + Leisure, 25 Jan. 2026
Swim in your pool and go clamming.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clam
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Noun
Creamy clam chowder with celery is a light, brothy version of the New England classic, using potatoes to thicken the broth a bit.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Feb. 2026
Superb clam pie awaited us, with freshly shucked bivalves, tons of garlic, and a touch of parsley and chile flakes.
—Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
The town boasts a fascinating history of shipbuilders, sea captains, clamming, and foreign trade.
—Daisy MacLellan, Travel + Leisure, 25 Jan. 2026
Swim in your pool and go clamming.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clam
Cite this Entry
“Clam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clam. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clam
1 of 2 noun1
: any of numerous edible marine mollusks that have two hinged shells and live in sand or mud
2
: a freshwater mussel
clam
2 of 2 verb
clammed; clamming
: to dig or gather clams
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