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clog

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb clog contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of clog are fetter, hamper, manacle, shackle, and trammel. While all these words mean "to hinder or impede in moving, progressing, or acting," clog usually implies a slowing by something extraneous or encumbering.

a court system clogged by frivolous suits

Where would fetter be a reasonable alternative to clog?

While in some cases nearly identical to clog, fetter suggests a restraining so severe that freedom to move or progress is almost lost.

a nation fettered by an antiquated class system

When might hamper be a better fit than clog?

The synonyms hamper and clog are sometimes interchangeable, but hamper may imply the effect of any impeding or restraining influence.

hampered the investigation by refusing to cooperate

How does the word shackle relate to other synonyms for clog?

Both shackle and manacle are stronger than fetter and suggest total loss of freedom.

a mind shackled by stubborn prejudice
a people manacled by tyranny

When can trammel be used instead of clog?

The words trammel and clog are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, trammel suggests entangling by or confining within a net.

rules that trammel the artist's creativity

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of clog
Noun
When this extra oil clogs the skin's pores, acne develops. Cordelia Nwankwo, Verywell Health, 31 Mar. 2025 Some of our top picks for this summer include olive-green platform clogs by Matisse, hands-free Skechers sneakers by Martha Stewart, and bubblegum-pink waterproof slides courtesy of Birkenstock. Izzy Baskette, People.com, 21 May 2025
Verb
Kennedy said Williams turned the water off because the toilet in an unused handicapped cell was clogged. Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 29 May 2025 The head would become tangled with pet fur, the suction would get clogged with the dog hair, and emptying the canister was always a mess of dust. Stewart Savin, Architectural Digest, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for clog
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clog
Noun
  • Existing Challenges While the impact of these types of fintechs is already significant, their work is not without its own set of obstacles, and several ongoing challenges remain.
    Murtaza Ali, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Raise the stakes, place insuperable obstacles before the protagonist, have the protagonist somehow surmount them while becoming braver and better.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • The Four of Pentacles suggests that clinging too tightly to control or resources may block abundance from flowing freely into your life.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 June 2025
  • Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza blocked and offloaded 77 food trucks, the U.N. World Food Program said, as hunger mounts amid Israel's monthslong blockade of the territory.
    SAM MEDNICK, Arkansas Online, 1 June 2025
Verb
  • The affair did not impede Smotrich’s ascent as a settler activist and politician.
    Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025
  • Any action that impedes these dynamics should be flatly rejected because unnecessarily regulating a competitive marketplace will only harm consumers.
    Michael Santorelli, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Noun
  • Though House approval is still needed, the Senate vote marked a major hurdle, because the stadium incentives stalled there last month.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 June 2025
  • Diagnosis Delays Hurt Women’s Outcomes Even before a clinical trial is an option, women face significant hurdles in getting a diagnosis.
    Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Jones pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge of obstructing police, per The New York Times.
    Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 7 June 2025
  • Last December, after a trial without a jury, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson convicted Lamond of one count of obstructing justice and three counts of making false statements.
    Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025
Verb
  • Keep clear of puddles - Driving through puddles or low rainwater areas can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 9 June 2025
  • Hundreds of law enforcement officers at the local, state and federal level spent nearly two weeks searching for Hardin, using dogs, drones and aircraft, at times hampered by severe weather.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 8 June 2025
Noun
  • Salivary Blockages Blockages or obstructions to the salivary glands may also cause mouth dryness because saliva doesn't flow as easily to the mouth.10 7.
    Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 6 June 2025
  • Pullman and Lynch were convicted by a federal jury of one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of honest services wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS.
    Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • No other blood could possibly have made it onto Negan’s boot in this zombie apocalypse filled with violence.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Lavish parties and gatherings filled its grand halls, attracting prominent figures from politics, business, and the arts.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Clog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clog. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.

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