clam
1 Americannoun
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any of various bivalve mollusks, especially certain edible species.
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Informal. a secretive or silent person.
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Slang. a dollar or the sum of a dollar.
I only made 60 clams a week.
verb (used without object)
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clams,
present (3rd person singular)
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clammed,
past participle, past
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clamming
present participle
verb phrase
noun
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any of various burrowing bivalve molluscs of the genera Mya, Venus, etc. Many species, such as the quahog and soft-shell clam, are edible and Tridacna gigas is the largest known bivalve, nearly 1.5 metres long
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the edible flesh of such a mollusc
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informal a reticent person
verb
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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clamsimple
-
clamssimple
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have clammedperfect
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has clammedperfect
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am clammingprogressive
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are clammingprogressive
-
is clammingprogressive
-
have been clammingperfect progressive
-
has been clammingperfect progressive
Past
-
clammedsimple
-
had clammedperfect
-
was clammingprogressive
-
were clammingprogressive
-
had been clammingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of clam1
First recorded in 1500–10; short for clam-shell, i.e., bivalve with a shell that clamps; see clam 2, shell
Origin of clam2
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English, derivative of clam(m), clom(m), “fetter, clasp, bandage”; cognate with German Klamm “fetter, constriction”; akin to clamp
Explanation
A clam is a marine animal with two shells that eats by straining food from water, sand, or mud. You can sometimes find clams by digging in the sand close to the seashore. The largest clams are used for food by humans, including the scallop, a particularly big form of clam. When you order soup in New England, it's not unlikely that it will be clam chowder, a creamy, thick stew with potatoes and pieces of clam. When clam is a verb, it means "to dig clams on the beach," and if your friend offers to pay you 1000 clams for your old car, she means "dollars."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A few kilometres closer to the sea, clam fishermen are also struggling with soaring June temperatures.
From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026
“Males tend to think differently and we have a different language. There needs to be a different approach to get over their walls, their filters, their denials. The guys clam up.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
The team discovered that these fibers closely resemble those of the Mediterranean clam both physically and chemically.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 12, 2026
It also served some of the region’s more unique specialties, such as clam cakes from a recipe hand-written by his grandmother found on the back of a fish-shop receipt.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
I’ve caught wind of several, but when I ask questions they clam right up.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
In contrast, only about half of mollusks, including clams and snails, disappeared.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
Conservationists say this and other extraordinary deep-sea snails, limpets, mussels and clams could be threatened by plans to mine valuable minerals from the deep seabed.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
They must also clear algae from the nets protecting clams from invasive blue crabs, which arrived from North America in recent years.
From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026
One night he treated friends to shrimp, clams, fried potatoes and ouzo on the waterfront, upsetting elderly, likely famished, passersby.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
The threat to oysters and clams is multiple.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Normally so open in his media conferences, Amorim clammed up when he was asked to explain something he said on Christmas Eve about his preferred style of play.
From BBC ● Jan. 3, 2026
However, he clammed up when Welker asked him to share other methods in which he might stay on.
From Salon ● Mar. 30, 2025
“But as soon as we turned our microphones on and stuck them in their faces, they totally clammed up.”
From New York Times ● Mar. 28, 2024
“There was a dreadful silence, and they literally clammed up. It was incredibly unnerving for the White House and the Pentagon.”
From Washington Times ● Oct. 30, 2023
There would be no clams for lunch—you clammed at low tide, on the sandbars.
From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt
For more weekend walks, try nearby options: A quick, 0.6-mile stroll up Ludlow Falls Interpretive Trail, visiting Shine Tidelands State Park at the Squamish Harbor’s entrance or picnicking and clamming at Wolfe Property State Park.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 25, 2023
We would go crabbing, occasionally catch fish, and also clamming.
From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2023
For successful clamming, bring a clam shovel or specialized tube and net to store your haul.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 25, 2023
Additionally, it’s a good idea to check the local forecast before heading out to clam, as your preparation for withstanding Pacific Northwest weather conditions can greatly affect the success of your clamming trip.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 25, 2023
Hatsue had looked at him, hard, for a long moment, the clamming rake clutched in her hand.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
