verklempt

American  

[ver-klempt, vuh-, fer-, fuh-] / vərˈklɛmpt, və-, fər-, fə- /

Also farklempt

adjective

Informal.

1. overly emotional and unable to speak.

   She got all verklempt at a press conference talking about a charity that matches actors and musicians with sick kids.

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Etymology

Origin of verklempt

First recorded in 1990–95; from Yiddish verklempt, farklempt “overcome with emotion,” past participle of verklem(m)en, farklem(m)en “to clamp (in a vise), pinch, choke, choke up,” from German verklemmt “inhibited, uptight,” literally, “pinched, squeezed,” past participle of verklemmen “to become stuck”

Explanation

If you've ever been so overwhelmed emotionally that your throat tightens and words just won't come out, you've been verklempt. The word verklempt is borrowed from Yiddish, where it literally means "pinched" or "squeezed." It perfectly describes that sensation of emotions welling up and pressing against your chest, leaving you momentarily speechless from joy, sadness, or pride. You might feel verklempt at a wedding, when watching a tragic movie, or when suddenly realizing you're in love.

Example Sentences

Recalling the chaos in the documentary, Deen gets verklempt remembering the pressure she felt she was under.

From Salon • Sep. 7, 2025

The moment seemed to hit her like a wave halfway through, and she became visibly verklempt.

From New York Times • Feb. 5, 2024

“I got kind of verklempt up there,” Alvin said backstage shortly after his portion of the show.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2019

To Kate McKinnon, ghostbuster of my emotional demons: when you wore that white suit and played Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah at the piano after the election, I got very verklempt.

From The Guardian • Dec. 30, 2016

Forgive me if I get verklempt about Hayao Miyazaki’s retirement from filmmaking before I even start reviewing his self-declared final film, The Wind Rises.

From Slate • Feb. 20, 2014