clam
1 Americannoun
-
any of various bivalve mollusks, especially certain edible species.
-
Informal. a secretive or silent person.
-
Slang. a dollar or the sum of a dollar.
I only made 60 clams a week.
verb (used without object)
-
clams,
present (3rd person singular)
-
clammed,
past participle, past
-
clamming
present participle
verb phrase
noun
-
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
-
the edible flesh of such a mollusc
-
informal a reticent person
verb
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
clamsimple
-
clamssimple
-
have clammedperfect
-
has clammedperfect
-
am clammingprogressive
-
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:
But ESPN, which the NFL now has a piece of, in the way rich people own a small stake in a clam hut on Martha’s Vineyard, is eager to tell you it has the game.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
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 West Hollywood clam shack conjures Rhode Island on the West Coast, be it with clams of all kinds, lobster cooked just right or oysters treated with reverence.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
“Do you know we still have a can of clam sauce? And half a box of spaghetti. That would make a wonderful supper.”
From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Harvesting bivalves, like clams, oysters, scallops and mussels, is especially sustainable because these species do not require feed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
In contrast, only about half of mollusks, including clams and snails, disappeared.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 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
Even a day later, contemplating this willfully nauseating work carries much the same sensation as having ingested a plate of bad clams.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
Until we reach the bus stop—it’s packed with kids older than us and who look a whole lot less grimy than I do—and he clams up like he’s never once heard of a bobcat.
From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden
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
“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
So the moment I downloaded MeowTalk Cat Translator, a mobile app that promised to convert Momo’s meows into plain English, she clammed right up.
From New York Times ● Aug. 29, 2022
“Well, would the Traveler in your head have clammed up yesterday?”
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
We would go crabbing, occasionally catch fish, and also clamming.
From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2023
Make sure you have the most current information before you go clamming to ensure responsible harvesting.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 25, 2023
For successful clamming, bring a clam shovel or specialized tube and net to store your haul.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 25, 2023
With the right tools and knowledge, anyone can enjoy the rewarding experience of clamming while contributing to the preservation of these important creatures.
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
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
