clammy

adjective

ˈkla-mē How to pronounce clammy (audio)
Definition of clammynext
as in icy
lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling after a clammy handshake, the two bitter rivals squared off for a no-holds-barred debate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of clammy Symptoms include clammy skin, nausea, cramps, vomiting and headache. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026 In some cases, people can experience heat exhaustion and have muscle cramps, nausea, weakness and cold or clammy skin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. — Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 9 July 2026 Use a buddy system with your travel companions and watch each other for dizziness, nausea, muscle cramps and cool, clammy skin. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026 Use the buddy system all day watch your travel companions for dizziness, nausea, muscle cramps or cool, clammy skin, and ask them to watch you. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for clammy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clammy
  1. icy
  2. cold
  3. chilly
  4. frigid
  5. brittle
  6. cool
Adjective
  • The dinner capped a long, but friendly, day of meetings and celebrations, as the world’s two most powerful leaders seek to settle trade differences while simultaneously thawing the icy relationship between the United States and China.
    — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Her icy-gray tresses were elegant yet effortless, but ask any woman who’s ever let her grays grow in — the process is anything but.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of icy
Adjective
  • This allows campers and travellers to keep food cold and essentials powered for longer between charges.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Candle warmer lamps in particular are being positioned as flame-free ambiance for daily use rather than as gift-shop items, and heated throws are showing up in reading-and-movie-night framings rather than purely as cold-weather gear.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of cold
Adjective
  • The first is a strong area of high pressure over eastern Canada that’s sending crisp and chilly air to the Northeast.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
  • One side effect of this is a new distance from OpenAI, in addition to its existing chilly relationship with Anthropic, and from the growing number of AI employees in Silicon Valley who also support the calls for a slowdown.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of chilly
Adjective
  • Instead, the frigid, muddy river water rose from ankle deep to chest high in under an hour.
    — Ren Larson, ProPublica, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The elasticity-boosting eye wrinkle cream is among its most affordable and beloved products, with a rich consistency that’s ideal for combating the dry, frigid weather ahead.
    — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of frigid
Adjective
  • With nearly 8,000 five-star Amazon ratings, this popular hair mask has ceramides and a repair concentrate to strengthen weak, brittle hair and support healthy growth.
    — Kim Grundy, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026
  • VCs rush to invest in osteoporosis drugs Developing drugs for brittle bones has long been a difficult endeavor, due to safety concerns and regulatory barriers.
    — Elaine Chen, STAT, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of brittle
Adjective
  • After a cool weekend, and even some brief evening rain for parts of the Central Valley including Sacramento late Sunday, the Golden State is set to bounce back with above-average temperatures as October fast approaches.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 28 Sep. 2026
  • So washing less, and with cooler water rather than hot, could genuinely help our scalp health—especially in colder weather and shifting climates.
    — Anita Bhagwandas, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of cool

Browse Nearby Words

clamming up
clammy
clamor
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clammy. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tittle

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All