clamber

verb
clam·​ber | \ ˈklam-bər How to pronounce clamber (audio) , ˈkla-mər How to pronounce clamber (audio) \
clambered; clambering\ ˈklam-​b(ə-​)riŋ How to pronounce clambering (audio) , ˈklam-​riŋ , ˈkla-​mər-​iŋ \

Definition of clamber

intransitive verb

: to climb awkwardly (as by scrambling) clambered over the rocks The monkeys clamber and leap through the trees with great agility.

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Other Words from clamber

clamberer \ ˈklam-​bər-​ər How to pronounce clamberer (audio) , ˈkla-​mər-​ər \ noun

Synonyms for clamber

Synonyms

climb, scrabble, scramble, swarm

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Examples of clamber in a Sentence

The children clambered over the rocks. We clambered up the steep hill.

Recent Examples on the Web

Children clambered up the spiral staircase to see if there was a princess in the tower. New York Times, "Central Park’s Castle Gets a $12 Million Fairy-Tale Makeover," 12 July 2019 With almost prophetic foresight, the island’s leaders rallied to protect its precious ecosystem as more visitors clambered to make this place their seasonal destination. Vogue, "What’s Old Is New Again on Block Island," 14 Aug. 2019 Considering the magma’s properties, while making reasonable assumptions about the volcano’s plumbing and the magma’s migration, the team suspects that the complex soup clambered up 15 miles’ worth of volcanic piping in about 10 days. Robin George Andrews, National Geographic, "Magma speed record set by Icelandic volcano," 23 July 2019 Since the show’s Amazon premiere on May 17, American viewers have been similarly clambering to buy it. Soraya Roberts, Longreads, "Fashions Fade, But Fleabag Is Forever," 8 June 2019 Throngs of migrants sought to flee by running along the tops of freight cars, while others clambered down to the ground and headed into the brush. Washington Post, "Mexico stages raid on train, detains dozens of migrants," 28 June 2019 The pursuit ended when an officer saw one man jump off an ATV and then clamber down an embankment into the Mill Creek. Cameron Knight, Cincinnati.com, "Police believe ATV rider who jumped into Mill Creek to escape is alive," 27 June 2019 People spill out of tour buses and clamber onto the trunks of elephants that, at the prodding of their mahouts’ bullhooks (long poles with a sharp metal hook), hoist them in the air while cameras snap. Natasha Daly, National Geographic, "Suffering unseen: The dark truth behind wildlife tourism," 12 June 2019 The weekend is upon us with Hades-hot temperatures, and the team at Essential Arts (a.k.a. me, staff writer Carolina A. Miranda) is ready to go all Margarita Bear and bust into someone’s yard, drink their booze and clamber into their pool. Carolina A. Miranda, latimes.com, "Essential Arts & Culture: L.A.'s Barak Ballet goes on tour, LACMA's grand plan and a 97-year-old art star," 7 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'clamber.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of clamber

14th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for clamber

Middle English clambren; akin to Old English climban to climb

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More Definitions for clamber

clamber

verb

English Language Learners Definition of clamber

: to climb or crawl in an awkward way

clamber

verb
clam·​ber | \ ˈklam-bər How to pronounce clamber (audio) \
clambered; clambering

Kids Definition of clamber

: to climb in an awkward way (as by scrambling) One of the men clambered to the top of the cabin …— Walter Farley, The Black Stallion

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