clutter

1 of 2

verb

clut·​ter ˈklə-tər How to pronounce clutter (audio)
cluttered; cluttering; clutters

intransitive verb

chiefly dialectal : to run in disorder

transitive verb

: to fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness
a room cluttered with toys
often used with up
Too many signs were cluttering up the street corner.

clutter

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a crowded or confused mass or collection
a clutter of motels and restaurants
b
: things that clutter a place
tried to minimize the unnecessary clutter in her house
2
: interfering radar echoes caused by reflection from objects (as on the ground) other than the target
3
chiefly dialectal : disturbance, hubbub

Examples of clutter in a Sentence

Verb The garage was cluttered with tools. Try to avoid cluttering your desk with books and papers. Noun There's a lot of unnecessary clutter in the house. a scrapbook that was a clutter of snapshots, diary entries, letters, and newspaper clippings
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
And until now, the scaffolding reforms have sat, like the scaffolding cluttering up too many sidewalks. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 Mar. 2025 Not to mention the sponges, soaps, and other items cluttering up the sink area. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 2 Mar. 2025
Noun
Consider this an opportunity to clear the emotional clutter and make peace with the past. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 5 Mar. 2025 Reduce clutter so there are fewer hiding spaces for bed bugs. Nancy Lebrun, Verywell Health, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clutter

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English clotteren to clot, from clot

First Known Use

Verb

1556, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of clutter was in 1556

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clutter. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

clutter

1 of 2 verb
clut·​ter ˈklət-ər How to pronounce clutter (audio)
: to fill or cover with a disorderly scattering of things
clutter up a room

clutter

2 of 2 noun
: a crowded or confused collection

More from Merriam-Webster on clutter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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