as in to hush
to stop talking
the little girl clammed up when the doctor came into the room
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Recent Examples of clam up
Your language model would clam up from time to time to conserve its resources.
—
Amanda Gefter, Quanta Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
Less sweat-trapping than many synthetic jackets, the Oreus kept me from clamming up while ski-touring in five-degree temps and dissipated sweat quickly when worn after strenuous climbs.
—Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
But when co-host Maria McErlane looked for details, Norton clammed up.
—Joseph Wilkinson, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
The client is bound to clam up.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The 2025-26 campaign and postseason — the Bears are two wins away from next month’s Super Bowl LX after winning the division and beating the Packers twice — so far has made their snarky detractors clam up.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
The famously outgoing media personality clammed up, on air and off, thanks to a terrifying stranger.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 7 Dec. 2025
But in Nogent, a town of around 4,000, most residents clam up at the mention of her name today.
—Hannah Goeke, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Dec. 2025
Then, after Austin Jackson sustained his season-ending knee injury in early November in Miami’s loss to the Bills , the Dolphins run game clammed up.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 29 July 2025
Amanda Gefter, Quanta Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
Less sweat-trapping than many synthetic jackets, the Oreus kept me from clamming up while ski-touring in five-degree temps and dissipated sweat quickly when worn after strenuous climbs.
—Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
But when co-host Maria McErlane looked for details, Norton clammed up.
—Joseph Wilkinson, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
The client is bound to clam up.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The 2025-26 campaign and postseason — the Bears are two wins away from next month’s Super Bowl LX after winning the division and beating the Packers twice — so far has made their snarky detractors clam up.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
The famously outgoing media personality clammed up, on air and off, thanks to a terrifying stranger.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 7 Dec. 2025
But in Nogent, a town of around 4,000, most residents clam up at the mention of her name today.
—Hannah Goeke, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Dec. 2025
Then, after Austin Jackson sustained his season-ending knee injury in early November in Miami’s loss to the Bills , the Dolphins run game clammed up.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 29 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clam up
Verb
-
The Haitian American singer-songwriter keeps the mood hushed and hazy on his second album, channeling the experimental R&B canon in songs that toggle between sincerity and opacity.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
14 Apr. 2026
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The atmosphere was hushed and businesslike; this was a routine pretrial hearing, and only a few other spectators joined me in the gallery.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Gen Z in particular, whose entry-level roles are drying up, is bearing the brunt of a push for better working conditions.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Capital has also dried up, especially for large projects that generate hundreds of new units.—
Bloomberg,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But the only way to shut up his doubters is to win.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
That tom gobbled once more and shut up.—
Charles Elliott,
Outdoor Life,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clam up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clam%20up. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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