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
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
Although that doesn’t account for those opposite behaviors (e.g., clamming up).
—Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Trump had been more open to diplomacy near the beginning of Israel’s conflict with Iran, leaving his nuclear deal options open with them, but has since clammed up.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 21 June 2025
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
Although that doesn’t account for those opposite behaviors (e.g., clamming up).
—Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Trump had been more open to diplomacy near the beginning of Israel’s conflict with Iran, leaving his nuclear deal options open with them, but has since clammed up.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 21 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clam up
Verb
-
Now, all is hushed and warm, and there is marble beneath our feet.—
Caroline Law,
TheWeek,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Down at the finish line, the crowd hushed.—
Will Graves,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Elsewhere, lakes are drying up, and dams are flooding millennia-old villages and historic sites.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Vonn welcomed the weight placed on her shoulders, gladly serving as an example that a woman’s athletic career need not dry up with age – or through injuries.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The healthiest thing both sides can do now is shut up about it and move on.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
-
So maybe shut up about AI and jobs?—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clam up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clam%20up. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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