Definitions

clam up

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button one's lip v.
quiet v.
quieten v.
shush v.
silence v.
stifle v.
withhold v.

VERB

button one's lip

Synonyms

WEAK

be silent button up keep one's trap shut not let out a peep say nothing shut up

VERB

quiet

Synonyms

STRONGEST

allay appease assuage hush mollify muffle muzzle pacify please relax satisfy soften soothe squelch subdue

STRONG

ameliorate becalm choke compose console gag gratify ice inactivate lull moderate palliate quieten reconcile settle shush silence slack smooth soft pedal square squash still stroke tranquilize

WEAK

button one's lip calm down can it cool it cool out dummy up fix up hold it down patch things up shut up take the bite out of

Antonyms

STRONGEST

agitate anger annoy depress incite irritate provoke release trouble upset worry

STRONG

aggravate disagree disturb excite move

WEAK

turn up

VERB

quieten

Synonyms

STRONG

clam dampen deaden dull extinguish gag hush lull muffle mute muzzle overawe quash quell quiet shush soft pedal squelch stifle still subdue suppress tongue-tie

WEAK

choke off close up cool it cut off cut short decrease the volume dry up dumb dummy up hold one's tongue hush one's mouth hush-hush keep it down pipe down quiet down say nothing shut up sit on strike dumb

Antonyms

STRONG

agitate allow disturb encourage help irritate let go release start

VERB

shush

Synonyms

STRONG

clam dampen deaden dull extinguish gag hush lull muffle mute muzzle overawe quash quell quiet quieten soft pedal squelch stifle still subdue suppress tongue-tie

WEAK

Antonyms

STRONG

agitate allow disturb encourage help irritate let go release start

VERB

silence

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cut off gag muffle mute muzzle quash quell squelch stifle subdue suppress

STRONG

clam dampen deaden dull extinguish hush lull overawe quiet quieten shush soft pedal still tongue-tie

WEAK

choke off close up cool it cut short decrease the volume dry up dumb dummy up hold one's tongue hush one's mouth hush-hush keep it down pipe down quiet down say nothing shut up sit on strike dumb

Antonyms

STRONGEST

allow encourage help let go permit release start

WEAK

be noisy communicate talk

VERB

stifle

Synonyms

STRONGEST

curb muzzle repress silence smother squelch strangle suffocate suppress

STRONG

asphyxiate burke check choke constipate cork extinguish gag hush kill muffle spike squash stagnate stop stultify torpedo trammel

WEAK

black out bring to screeching halt choke back clamp down cover up crack down dry up hold it down hush up put the lid on shut up sit on

Antonyms

STRONGEST

allow encourage free let go loose release

STRONG

aid assist bear begin create help start

WEAK

persuade

VERB

withhold

Synonyms

STRONGEST

conceal deduct deny detain hide keep refuse resist retain suppress

STRONG

abstain bridle check constrain curb disallow hold inhibit kill refrain repress reserve restrain spike

WEAK

dummy up hold back hold down hold out hold out on keep secret keep to oneself keep under one's hat keep under wraps sit on stop oneself

Antonyms

STRONGEST

allow disclose divulge expose free go along grant lay bare let go let out open release reveal show tell uncover

STRONG

aid assist help indulge liberate permit use

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

clam up

The question prompts Epstein to clam up: “Send me a number to call I don’t like records of these conversations.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026

Parton: They clam up because I won’t shut up.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2023

JPMorgan said an important part of its more positive view on European CRE was the willingness of European banks to continue providing finance to the sector as wholesale funding markets have started to clam up.

From Reuters ● Mar. 28, 2023

My husband asks for the details of my appointments, and I find that I instinctively clam up.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 14, 2022

“Superstitious folk don’t like to talk about things they’re afraid of. He was about to clam up, and I needed to know what he’d seen in the forest.”

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

clam up

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

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