clammy
gb/klˈæmi/ us/klˈæmi/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
unpleasantly damp and cold
Wet with sweat and a little cold, in an unpleasant way.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s [skin/hand/forehead] is clammy; feel clammy
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse clammy (cold + damp) with sweaty (wet from sweat, not necessarily cold).
Synonyms
damp (More general; does not strongly suggest cold sweat.)
|
sweaty (Focuses on sweat; may not imply coldness or illness.)
Antonyms
dry (Not wet or sweaty.)
|
warm (Opposite of the coldness often implied by clammy.)
Collocations
clammy skin
|clammy hands
|a clammy forehead
|clammy palms
|feel clammy
|cold and clammy
|clammy to the touch
|suddenly clammy
|skin turned clammy
|a clammy handshake
Themes
body
|health
|emotions
|daily_life
Examples
- His hands were clammy as he waited for the interview to start.
- Her skin felt clammy and she looked pale, so we called a doctor.
- After the bad news, I broke out in a cold, clammy sweat.
Learner examples
- My hands are clammy.
- His forehead felt clammy.
adjective
C1
property
2
cold, damp air or place
Cold and a little wet in the air, not comfortable.
Usage pattern:
a clammy [room/basement/morning]; the air feels clammy
Common mistake:
Clammy usually suggests cool dampness, not hot humid weather (often described as muggy).
Synonyms
dank (Often stronger and associated with musty, unpleasant places.)
|
chilly (Focuses on cold; may not include dampness.)
Antonyms
dry (Without dampness in the air.)
|
airy (Fresh and well-ventilated, not close and damp.)
Collocations
clammy air
|a clammy room
|a clammy basement
|clammy weather
|a clammy morning
|a clammy feeling in the room
|the walls felt clammy
|a clammy chill
Themes
weather
|home
|daily_life
Examples
- The basement was clammy and smelled faintly of mildew.
- We woke up to a clammy morning with low cloud and drizzle.
- After the rain, the air inside the tent felt clammy.
Learner examples
- The room feels clammy.
- The air is clammy today.
Grammar
Dictionary form
clammy
IPA
GB/klˈæmi/
US/klˈæmi/
Syllables & stress
clammy (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (clammy)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: clammy
- Comparative: clammier
- Superlative: clammiest
Word family
Forms
clammier
adjective
clammiest
adjective
Core family
clamminess
noun
Related words
clammily
adverb
Expressions
clammy hands
1/klˈæmi hˈændz/
fixed phrase
sweaty, unpleasant hands
Hands that are wet with sweat, often because you are nervous.
Examples
- I always get clammy hands before giving a presentation.
- He wiped his clammy hands on his jeans and knocked on the door.
- She complained about clammy hands during the heatwave.
clammy handshake
1/klˈæmi hˈændʃˌeɪk/
fixed phrase
sweaty unpleasant handshake
A handshake that feels wet with sweat.
Examples
- He introduced himself with a clammy handshake and a forced smile.
- I remember the clammy handshake more than the man’s name.
- She tried to hide her nerves, but her clammy handshake gave her away.
clammy with sweat
1/klˈæmi wˈɪθ swˈɛt/
fixed phrase
damp from cold sweat
Wet with sweat and a little cold.
Examples
- He woke up clammy with sweat after a nightmare.
- By noon she was clammy with sweat and felt dizzy.
- I was clammy with sweat as I waited for the test results.
cold and clammy
1/kˈoʊld ˈænd klˈæmi/
fixed phrase
unpleasantly cold and damp
Cold and a little wet with sweat.
Examples
- By the time the paramedics arrived, he was pale, cold and clammy.
- I felt cold and clammy after the long swim in the lake.
- Her hands were cold and clammy when we shook.