Clamor Meaning
/ˈklæm.ɚ/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA great outcry or vociferation; loud and continued shouting or exclamation.
nounAny loud and continued noise.
Sentence Examples
The cliff collapsed, the rocks split, and the empty sky filled with a noisy clamor.
Dozens of injured protesters were taken to hospitals amid the heat and clamor.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The sudden ____ of alarms woke the entire neighborhood.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There was a loud ____ from the crowd as the famous singer arrived.
Word Origin & History
Recorded in English since c. 1385, as Middle English clamour, from Old French clamor (modern clameur), from Latin clāmor (“a shout, cry”), from clāmō (“cry out, complain”). The verb sense "to silence" may have a distinct (unknown) etymology.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"For when he knew his Rival freed and gone, / He ſwells with Wrath; he makes outrageous Moan: / He frets, he fumes, he ſtares, he ſtamps the Ground; / The hollow Tow'r with Clamours rings around: […]"
— 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, book I, page 17:
"All the universities are sending in long petitions to restrict their production. Otherwise, they say, mankind will become extinct through lack of fertility. But the R. U. R. shareholders, of course, won't hear of it. All the governments, on the other hand, are clamoring for an increase in production, to raise the standards of their armies. And all the manufacturers in the world are ordering Robots like mad."
— c. 1921 (date written), Karel Čapek, translated by Paul Selver, R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots): A Fantastic Melodrama […], Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1923, →OCLC, Act 2:
"[…] the cloth was removed, revealing seriously deformed and ugly feet. Bystanders immediately clamored for the cloth to be put back on, and not only because the feet were ugly – they really stunk, enough to bring tears to your eyes […]"
— 2005, Annabelle du Fouet, “The murky world from whence it all came” (chapter 2), in Weather Balloons Make Rotten Sex Toys, Ellora's Cave, →ISBN, page 39:
"The distinctness of London has led many to clamor for the capital to pursue its own policies, especially on immigration. The British prime minister, David Cameron, is a Conservative. So is the mayor of London, Boris Johnson. But they have diametrically opposed views on immigration."
— 2013 September 28, Kenan Malik, “London Is Special, but Not That Special”, in New York Times, retrieved 28 Sep 2013:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The sudden ____ of alarms woke the entire neighborhood.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There was a loud ____ from the crowd as the famous singer arrived.