Illustration of clam
- a incurrent orifice
- b siphon
- c excurrent orifice
- d mantle
- e shell
- f foot
often attributive
1
a
: any of numerous edible marine bivalve mollusks living in sand or mud
b
: a freshwater mussel
2
: a stolid or closemouthed person
3
4
informal
: dollar sense 1
ˈklem
variants
or clam
clemmed or clammed; clemmed or clammed; clemming or clamming; clems or clams
dialectal, England
: to cause to suffer from hunger, thirst, or cold : starve
dialectal, England
: to suffer from hunger, thirst, or cold
"
plural -s
slang
: a fight or brawl especially between circus or carnival workers and the local townsfolk
Examples of clam in a Sentence
Noun (2)
it must take a whole lot of clams to buy a car like that
Recent Examples on the Web
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
3 July 2026
Artful pizzas go beyond margherita with varieties like a clam pie with funky lemons, confit shallots, and raclette mornay sauce, or a chilaquiles slice with chorizo.
—
Kate Kassin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 June 2026
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
17 June 2026
Today, an official clamming license is a must, and our ramshackle abode has long been converted to chic condos that sell for around a million bucks each.
—
Anne Bratskeir,
Travel + Leisure,
27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clam
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Noun
Layer potatoes, corn, sausage, cherry tomatoes, peppadew peppers and clams.
—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
3 July 2026
Artful pizzas go beyond margherita with varieties like a clam pie with funky lemons, confit shallots, and raclette mornay sauce, or a chilaquiles slice with chorizo.
—
Kate Kassin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 June 2026
Verb
Tautog Like sheepshead, this Northeast and Mid-Atlantic wreck and reef dweller is highly adept at taking a piece of crab or clam off your hook before the tug even triggers your brain to swing.
—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
17 June 2026
Today, an official clamming license is a must, and our ramshackle abode has long been converted to chic condos that sell for around a million bucks each.
—
Anne Bratskeir,
Travel + Leisure,
27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clam
Cite this Entry
“Clam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clam. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clam
1 of 2 noun1
: any of numerous edible marine mollusks that have two hinged shells and live in sand or mud
2
: a freshwater mussel
clam
2 of 2 verb
clammed; clamming
: to dig or gather clams
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