cluttered; cluttering; clutters
chiefly dialectal
: to run in disorder
: to fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness
a room cluttered with toys
—often used with upToo many signs were cluttering up the street corner.
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
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
Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Oct. 2025
Early attempts at a proactive approach generated oceans of irrelevant data that cluttered the decision-making process.
—Mike Hodgkinson, Big Think, 22 Sep. 2025
Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
Outdoors, remove clutter like loose boards and old furniture, relocate and elevate firewood and clear vegetation at least 18 inches from the foundation.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clutter
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Verb
Finally de-clutter your cabinets and fridge with the help of handy containers from reputable brands like Rubbermaid and Oxo.
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Oct. 2025
Early attempts at a proactive approach generated oceans of irrelevant data that cluttered the decision-making process.
—Mike Hodgkinson, Big Think, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
Keeping your garage, kitchen, closet, dresser drawers, and bathroom neat and free of clutter is all about staying on top of the mess by continually getting rid of items that are no longer serving you or your home.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
Outdoors, remove clutter like loose boards and old furniture, relocate and elevate firewood and clear vegetation at least 18 inches from the foundation.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clutter
Cite this Entry
“Clutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clutter. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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