clamor

¹ American  

[klam-er] / ˈklæm ər /

especially British, clamour

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.

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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 American  

[klam-er] / ˈklæm ər /

verb (used with object)

Obsolete.

1. to silence.

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Spelling

See -or.

Related Words

See noise.

Other Word Forms

• clamorer noun
• clamorist noun

Etymology

Origin of clamor¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English clamor (from Anglo-French ), from Latin, equivalent to clām- ( see 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”

Explanation

To clamor is to make a demand — LOUDLY. It's usually a group that clamors — like Americans might clamor for comprehensive health care coverage. The noun clamor is often used specifically to describe a noisy outcry from a group of people, but more generally, the word means any loud, harsh sound. You could describe the clamor of sirens in the night or the clamor of the approaching subway in the tunnel.

Example Sentences

The applications go unanswered, the layoffs keep mounting, and we clamor over the few jobs left, wondering whether we’ve overstayed the party in Silicon Valley.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

Their money is seen as fuel for growth and, perhaps more important, as exit money to satisfy the clamor of current investors who want out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

Yet despite the steep price tag, sales remain brisk, reflecting a global clamor that has seen some 500 million requests for tickets according to FIFA.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

The clamor around metals has stirred debate about potential bubbles forming in gold and silver that could end badly for investors, especially those arriving late to the party.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 31, 2025

The men also burst into a clamor each time a plane zoomed above us.

From "Tasting the Sky" by Ibtisam Barakat

Related Words

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