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 3
Synonyms
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
Amber Love Bond, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
The weekend began with a bridal lunch hosted by Will’s mother and sisters at Galley Beach, one of Samantha’s father’s favorite restaurants, with a clam bake held later that evening for close friends and family.
—Rebecca Cope, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2024
Stephanie Vermillion, USA TODAY, 19 Oct. 2024
The mask has a hydrogel texture that clams and cools the skin while its clinical-grade ingredients sink in to rejuvenate the complexion.
—Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clam 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Bottled all-natural clam juice can be substituted for the white wine if preferred.
—Amber Love Bond, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
The weekend began with a bridal lunch hosted by Will’s mother and sisters at Galley Beach, one of Samantha’s father’s favorite restaurants, with a clam bake held later that evening for close friends and family.
—Rebecca Cope, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2024
Verb
On special mornings, guests can start the day watching clamming bears as the sun soars above the Chigmit Mountains –all without leaving camp.
—Stephanie Vermillion, USA TODAY, 19 Oct. 2024
The mask has a hydrogel texture that clams and cools the skin while its clinical-grade ingredients sink in to rejuvenate the complexion.
—Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clam
Dictionary Entries Near clam
Cite this Entry
“Clam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clam. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share