clamor

¹

[ klam-er ]

noun

1. a loud uproar, as from a crowd of people:

   the clamor of the crowd at the gates.

2. a vehement expression of desire or dissatisfaction:

   the clamor of the proponents of the law.

   Synonyms: vociferation

3. popular outcry:

   The senators could not ignore the clamor against higher taxation.

4. any loud and continued noise: the clamor of birds and animals in the zoo.

   the clamor of traffic;

   the clamor of birds and animals in the zoo.

verb (used without object)

1. to make a clamor; raise an outcry.

verb (used with object)

1. to drive, force, influence, etc., by clamoring:

   The newspapers clamored him out of office.

2. to utter noisily:

   They clamored their demands at the meeting.

clamor

²

[ klam-er ]

verb (used with object)

, Obsolete.

1. to silence.

Spelling Note

See -or.

Other Words From

• clam·or·er clam·or·ist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of clamor¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English clamor (from Anglo-French ), from Latin, equivalent to clām- ( claim ) + -or -or ¹; Middle English clamour, from Middle French, from Latin clāmōr- (stem of clāmor )

Origin of clamor²

First recorded in 1605–15; perhaps spelling variant of clammer, obsolete variant of clamber in sense “to clutch,” hence “reduce to silence”

Synonym Study

See noise.

Example Sentences

The solo goes on forever, long enough to make the point that, yes, Callas had fans clamoring outside the Metropolitan Opera, but she could also be a bit of a bore.

From Los Angeles Times

Dean Baker, an economist at the Center for Economic Research, speculates that Trump, “or at least someone with his ear,” presumably knows that Americans are not clamoring for higher prices.

From Salon

Visual effects workers, who play a pivotal role in bringing movies and TV shows to life, have also been clamoring for change.

From Los Angeles Times

The people are clamoring for you to put it on streaming services.

From Los Angeles Times

He said the current approach amounts to mismanagement and is “making the rules optional each time water contractors clamor for more water.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• agitation
• brouhaha
• buzz
• ferment
• hubbub
• noise
• outcry
• ruckus
• tumult
• upheaval
• uproar