Meaning & use
clamoring
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“clamoring” is a form of “clamor”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitive
Calling out loudly and repeatedly for something, usually together with many other people who all want the same thing.
Grammar: Usually followed by for or to: fans were clamoring for tickets, people clamoring to get in.
Patterns
- clamoring for something
- clamoring to do something
- clamoring for someone to do something
Reporters were clamoring for an answer as the minister left the building.
The children stood at the ice-cream van, clamoring to be served first.
Shareholders are clamoring for the company to explain its losses.
verbintransitiveliterary
Making a loud, confused noise of many voices or sounds mixed together.
Grammar: No object; the noise itself is the subject: voices clamoring in the hall.
Patterns
- voices clamoring
Dozens of voices were clamoring in the market square at noon.
Alarm bells kept clamoring through the night.
Word forms
| base form | clamor |
|---|---|
| third person singular | clamors |
| past tense | clamored |
| -ing form | clamoring |
Common combinations
- clamoring for attention
- Three toddlers were clamoring for attention while she cooked.
- clamoring for change
- Young voters are clamoring for change in how the city is run.
- clamoring to get in
- Hundreds of fans were clamoring to get in before the doors closed.
- clamoring for answers
- Parents are clamoring for answers after the school was suddenly closed.
- clamoring crowd
- A clamoring crowd pressed against the barrier.
Synonyms and how they differ
- demanding
- Demanding is neutral and can be done quietly, whereas clamoring suggests a noisy, pushy group.
- agitating
- Agitating is used for organized campaigns over time, while clamoring describes a more immediate, noisy outburst.
- yelling
- Yelling only describes loudness, but clamoring also tells you that people want something.
Opposites
Word family
- clamor noun
- a loud noise of many voices, or a loud public demand
- clamor verb
- to demand something loudly and insistently
- clamorous adjective
- loud and noisy, full of shouting
- clamorously adverb
- in a loud, demanding way
Commonly confused: clamoring or clambering?
clamoring vs clambering
Clambering means climbing awkwardly using hands and feet, and has nothing to do with noise or demands.
Practice
Which sentence uses the word correctly?
Choose one answer.
Clamoring is normally followed by for plus the thing wanted. Clamoring about in a whisper contradicts the loudness, and clamoring from or with a direct object is not the usual pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “clamoring”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.