clamor

¹ American  

[klam-er] / ˈklæm ər /

especially British, clamour

noun

• clamors
  plural

1. 

   a loud uproar, as from a crowd of people.

   the clamor of the crowd at the gates.

2. a vehement expression of desire or dissatisfaction.

   the clamor of the proponents of the law.

   Synonyms:

   vociferation

3. popular outcry.

   The senators could not ignore the clamor against higher taxation.

4. any loud and continued noise: the clamor of birds and animals in the zoo.

   the clamor of traffic;

   the clamor of birds and animals in the zoo.

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verb (used without object)

1. to make a clamor; raise an outcry.

verb (used with object)

1. to drive, force, influence, etc., by clamoring.

   The newspapers clamored him out of office.

2. to utter noisily.

   They clamored their demands at the meeting.

clamor ² American  

[klam-er] / ˈklæm ər /

verb (used with object)

Obsolete.

1. to silence.

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Spelling

See -or.

Synonym Usage

See noise.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• clamorer
  noun
• clamorist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• clamors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of clamor¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English clamor (from Anglo-French ), from Latin, equivalent to clām- ( see claim) + -or -or ¹; Middle English clamour, from Middle French, from Latin clāmōr- (stem of clāmor )

Origin of clamor²

First recorded in 1605–15; perhaps spelling variant of clammer, obsolete variant of clamber in sense “to clutch,” hence “reduce to silence”

Explanation

To clamor is to make a demand — LOUDLY. It's usually a group that clamors — like Americans might clamor for comprehensive health care coverage. The noun clamor is often used specifically to describe a noisy outcry from a group of people, but more generally, the word means any loud, harsh sound. You could describe the clamor of sirens in the night or the clamor of the approaching subway in the tunnel.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

clamor clamors

Industry executives say caterers now clamor for foie gras to add a luxurious touch to weddings and banquets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

Its share price has risen 6% since the clamor began.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

But as Americans clamor for more protein, some of the nation’s biggest nutrition companies face concerns over shortages and skyrocketing costs.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026

The clamor of visiting children echoes outside the concrete structure while music plays deeper within the campus where couples ballroom dance in the sun.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026

Amid a clamor of support, the two men moved the board half onto the sidewalk.

From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang

Mr. Cohen advised Silicon Valley Bank as it scrambled for a buyer and has been counseling First Republic as it clamors for a lifeline.

From New York Times ● Mar. 25, 2023

The room at the Governors Awards brings many unexpected star pairings, as everyone clamors to meet someone they admire.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 20, 2022

Though the company still clamors for government funding and sometimes makes bold predictions it doesn’t actually see through, SpaceX continues to defy expectations with each new accomplishment.

From The Verge ● Nov. 1, 2021

In recent years, winemakers have responded to a market that clamors for the palest of pale pinks to drink the year after harvest.

From Washington Post ● May 6, 2021

It was so different from any of the loud metropolitan clamors, with which his ears were full, that he got up, walked to the window and leaned out.

From The Girl From His Town by Marie Van Vorst

Related Words

• agitation
• brouhaha
• buzz
• ferment
• hubbub
• noise
• outcry
• ruckus
• tumult
• upheaval
• uproar