pearl-clutching

American  

[purl kluhch-ing] / ˈpɜrl ˌklʌtʃ ɪŋ /

Or pearl clutching

noun

1. outrage or dramatic protest, especially from a woman, caused by something the person perceives as vulgar, in bad taste, or morally wrong but that does not elicit a similarly strong reaction from most other people.

   pearl-clutching over sexual jokes; so much fake pearl-clutching by the candidates.

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adjective

1. noting or relating to someone, especially a woman, who is easily offended or shocked by things the person perceives as vulgar, in bad taste, or morally wrong.

   pearl-clutching gasps from the audience; pearl-clutching conservatives.

Other Word Forms

• pearl-clutcher
  noun
• pearl-clutch
  verb (used without object)

Etymology

Origin of pearl-clutching

First recorded in 2000–05; see origin at pearl ( def. ), clutch ¹ ( def. ), -ing ¹ ( def. ), -ing ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pearl-clutching

But the way Riley’s screenplay portrays the average shoplifter may help the film skirt the inevitable pearl-clutching and finger-wagging.

From Salon ● May 22, 2026

The result was another round of pearl-clutching when he spoke ill of Robert Mueller, who had died the day before.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026

NBC was also able to integrate entertainment figures into its Olympics coverage without generating a lot of pearl-clutching from sports purists.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2024

Only to shame you pearl-clutching adult babies who are shocked—shocked!—that students aren’t always intellectually and emotionally consistent!

From Slate ● May 2, 2024

And yet here we are with the escapist new period drama “The Gilded Age,” which takes as its chief concern the pearl-clutching clash between old and new money in 19th-century New York high society.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 23, 2022