as in drying up
to stop talking
the little girl clammed up when the doctor came into the room
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 clamming up
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
Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clamming up
Verb
-
Elsewhere, lakes are drying up, and dams are flooding millennia-old villages and historic sites.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Climate change itself has become a major risk factor, with heatwaves disabling power plants and droughts drying up hydro reservoirs.—
Scott Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And this team is taking a particular delight in shutting up and shutting down their rivals.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Sky News is shutting up shop on its dedicated business show after more than a decade.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
There are a lot of ways to declutter out there—the pile method and the discernment method are two of them, and now, everyone’s hushing their house.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
28 Dec. 2025
-
Unfortunately, the austerity and elegance of the downstairs dining room acts as a dampener, hushing the salad’s brashness and sapping much of the fun.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
14 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The Softstreme Classic-fit High-rise Joggers have piping down the front that creates a more elevated look, while deep pockets and a comfortable, flat waistband lend themselves to comfort and practicality.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clamming up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clamming%20up. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
