How to Use clam up in a Sentence

clam up

verb
  • The client is bound to clam up.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Your language model would clam up from time to time to conserve its resources.
    — Amanda Gefter, Quanta Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
  • On Israel, a lot of candidates have clammed up.
    — Naaman Zhou, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
  • But when co-host Maria McErlane looked for details, Norton clammed up.
    — Joseph Wilkinson, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Everyone in the theater clammed up, as if embarrassed to have endorsed Max with laughter.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The atmosphere had changed—security kept an eye out for media to turn away at the entrance, and golfers clammed up when asked what was going on at the club.
    — Dan Alexander, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
  • The famously outgoing media personality clammed up, on air and off, thanks to a terrifying stranger.
    — Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 7 Dec. 2025
  • Less sweat-trapping than many synthetic jackets, the Oreus kept me from clamming up while ski-touring in five-degree temps and dissipated sweat quickly when worn after strenuous climbs.
    — Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The Arrested Development actor clammed up when Smartless cohost Jason Bateman brought up Arnett's ex-wife and their bathroom habits.
    — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 22 June 2026
  • The 2025-26 campaign and postseason — the Bears are two wins away from next month’s Super Bowl LX after winning the division and beating the Packers twice — so far has made their snarky detractors clam up.
    — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clam up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: