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 3
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
Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
Like previous-generation models, the charging case has a slide-open top, rather than open like a clam.
—PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2025
Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2025
Soup Costco food courts in Taiwan offer members clam chowder.
—Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clam
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Noun
The tiny shrimp-like crustaceans quickly returned to the clam, suggesting a strong relationship with the host species.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
Like previous-generation models, the charging case has a slide-open top, rather than open like a clam.
—PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
Located about 25 miles south of Fort Myers, this family-friendly, 33-square-mile barrier island is famous for its collection of shells—especially scallop, clam, and tulip varieties—and sand dollars, forming a veritable treasure trove for collectors.
—Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2025
Soup Costco food courts in Taiwan offer members clam chowder.
—Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Sep. 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 7 Oct. 2025.
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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