clamber

verb

clambered; clambering ˈklam-b(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce clamber (audio) ˈklam-riŋ How to pronounce clamber (audio)
ˈkla-mər-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to climb awkwardly or with effort especially by using both the hands and the feet
We clambered over the rocks.
They clambered up the hill.
clamberer
ˈklam-bər-ər How to pronounce clamber (audio)
ˈkla-mər-ər
noun

Examples of clamber in a Sentence

The children clambered over the rocks. We clambered up the steep hill.
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.
One recent creation took the form of a bare-bones animatronic dog that, when activated, seemed to clamber awkwardly forward. Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 21 Nov. 2024 No train was entering the station and the bloodied woman was able to clamber back onto the platform on her own as her attacker ran off, cops said. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 6 Nov. 2024 But exactly how the shooter managed to clamber onto a rooftop with an AR-style assault rifle less than 200 yards from Trump and fire off eight shots at the then-presumptive Republican presidential nominee sparked multiple investigations into the Secret Service and its preparations for the event. Lewis Kamb, NBC News, 23 Oct. 2024 Alongside the river, countless French citizens peeked out of their apartments and clambered onto their balconies to get a view of the action. Lindsay Kimble, Peoplemag, 27 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for clamber 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English clambren; akin to Old English climban to climb

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clamber was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near clamber

Cite this Entry

“Clamber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clamber. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

clamber

verb
clam·​ber ˈklam-bər How to pronounce clamber (audio)
clambered; clambering -b(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce clamber (audio)
: to climb awkwardly

More from Merriam-Webster on clamber

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!