clamber

verb

clambered; clambering ˈklam-b(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce clamber (audio)
ˈklam-riŋ,
ˈkla-mər-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to climb awkwardly or with effort especially by using both the hands and the feet
We clambered over the rocks.
They clambered up the hill.
clamberer
ˈklam-bər-ər How to pronounce clamber (audio)
ˈkla-mər-ər
noun

Examples of clamber in a Sentence

The children clambered over the rocks. We clambered up the steep hill.
Recent Examples on the Web Two Russian soldiers can be seen clambering inside the ruins of a dugout, one manhandling a shovel. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 As the sun comes up, green heads can often be seen bobbing in the inlet, followed by long, scaly bodies: iguanas clambering up the small wooden jetty to warm themselves. Alice Newell-Hanson Stefan Ruiz, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Rather than take a long walk around, some locals clamber over the tracks and dash across four lanes of 65-mph traffic. USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024 Kail, the director, clambered onto the stage and provided some suggestions about how to think about her character’s motivation. Michael Paulson, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2024 Shirlee clambered up onto the porch and dropped down beside her. Addie Citchens, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024 Repetitive sequences of survivors clambering up the mountainside, wading through snow, and squinting into the sun add little in the way of narrative momentum and, an hour or so in, the movie begins to drag. Madeleine Kearns, National Review, 8 Feb. 2024 Lieutenant Walsh, who was 28, and Mr. Piccard clambered into the submersible’s six-foot personnel sphere, soaking wet. William J. Broad, New York Times, 18 Nov. 2023 These seats are really only suitable only for children, but ones old enough to latch themselves into their booster seats so adults don’t have to clamber back there to do the job. Dan Carney, Popular Science, 1 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clamber.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English clambren; akin to Old English climban to climb

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clamber was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near clamber

Cite this Entry

“Clamber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clamber. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

clamber

verb
clam·​ber ˈklam-bər How to pronounce clamber (audio)
clambered; clambering -b(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce clamber (audio)
: to climb awkwardly

More from Merriam-Webster on clamber

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