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

Stop junk mail Use a reputable site to opt out of junk mail cluttering up your mailbox. — Cody Godwin, USA Today, 20 July 2026

Tiny pieces of space junk only 2 inches (5 centimeters) in size are cluttering a valuable orbital region where some of the costliest satellites reside, a new study has found. — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 13 July 2026

Noun

The clutter ebbs and flows like the tide, reflecting the chaos of spaces where artists live, often homes just on the cusp between quaint and unbearably chaotic. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026

Remove excess furniture and clutter to make rooms feel larger and highlight square footage. — Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 21 July 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