clamour

UK: /ˈklæmə^r/

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

clamour, clamor / ˈklæmə/ noun

1. a loud persistent outcry, as from a large number of people
2. a vehement expression of collective feeling or outrage: a clamour against higher prices
3. a loud and persistent noise: the clamour of traffic

verb

1. (intr; often followed by for or against) to make a loud noise or outcry; make a public demand
2. (transitive) to move, influence, or force by outcry

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French clamour, from Latin clāmor, from clāmāre to cry out

ˈclamorous adjective

ˈclamorously adverb

ˈclamorousness noun

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

clam•or¹ /ˈklæmɚ/   n. [countable]

1. a loud and continued noise:
   the clamor of traffic.
2. a loud uproar, such as from a crowd of people:
   The clamor in the shop spilled out into the street.
3. an angry or strong expression of desire or of dissatisfaction:
   raised a clamor against higher taxation.

v. 

4. to make a clamor: [no object; (~ + for + object)]
   They clamored for a voice in the decision-making process.
   [~ + that clause]
   They clamored that their demands were not being listened to.
   [~ + to + verb]
   We clamored to be heard.

Also, esp. Brit., ˈclam•our.See -claim-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

clam•or¹  (klam′ər), n. 

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.
3. popular outcry:
   The senators could not ignore the clamor against higher taxation.
4. any loud and continued noise:
   the clamor of traffic; the clamor of birds and animals in the zoo.

v.i. 

5. to make a clamor;
   raise an outcry.

v.t. 

6. to drive, force, influence, etc., by clamoring:
   The newspapers clamored him out of office.
7. to utter noisily:
   They clamored their demands at the meeting.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] clam′our. 

• Latin clāmōr- (stem of clāmor)
• Middle French
• Latin, equivalent. to clām- (see claim) + -or -or¹; Middle English clamour
• Anglo-French)
• Middle English clamor (1350–1400

clam′or•er, clam′or•ist, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. shouting.
• 2. vociferation.
• 4. See noise. 

Usage

See -our. 

clam•or²  (klam′ər), v.t. [Obs.]

1. to silence.

• perh. spelling, spelled variant of clammer, obsolete variant of clamber in sense "to clutch,'' hence "reduce to silence'' 1605–15