clambering: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1neutral to slightly literary
Quick answer
What does “clambering” mean?
climbing or moving with difficulty, using hands and feet, especially over rough or steep surfaces.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
climbing or moving with difficulty, using hands and feet, especially over rough or steep surfaces
struggling or making awkward efforts to achieve something, often with a sense of exertion or lack of grace
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Both varieties use the word identically.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British adventure/nature writing, but equally understood in American English.
Frequency
Low-frequency word in both dialects, more likely found in written narratives than everyday speech.
Grammar
How to Use “clambering” in a Sentence
[Subject] + is/are/was/were + clambering + prepositional phrase (over/up/down/through/onto/across + noun)[Subject] + kept + clambering + prepositional phraseVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clambering” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The hikers were clambering over the stile.
- She clambered out of the window to escape the fire.
American English
- The kids clambered up the rocky hillside.
- He clambered through the broken fence.
adverb
British English
- Not standard usage; 'clamberingly' is extremely rare and non-idiomatic.
American English
- Not standard usage; 'clamberingly' is extremely rare and non-idiomatic.
adjective
British English
- The clambering tourists slowed everyone down.
- We heard a clambering noise from the roof.
American English
- The clambering squirrel reached the bird feeder.
- His clambering attempt to get over the wall failed.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in metaphorical use for career advancement.
Academic
Rare, might appear in geography or biology texts describing animal or human movement over terrain.
Everyday
Used when describing difficult, hands-on climbing, e.g., children on playground equipment or getting over a fence.
Technical
Not typically used in technical contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clambering”
- Using 'clambering' for smooth, easy climbing (e.g., 'clambering up the stairs' – if stairs are normal, use 'walking' or 'running').
- Misspelling as 'clamberring' or 'clamering'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can be used for animals (e.g., monkeys clambering through branches) and even metaphorically for organizations or abstract concepts.
'Clambering' is a specific type of climbing that implies difficulty, awkwardness, and the use of both hands and feet. 'Climbing' is the general, neutral term.
It is usually neutral, describing the action itself. It can have a positive connotation of determination (e.g., clambering to success) or a slightly negative one of clumsiness.
The gerund 'clambering' acts as a noun (e.g., 'The clambering took hours'). The related noun is 'clamber' (e.g., 'It was a difficult clamber to the top').
climbing or moving with difficulty, using hands and feet, especially over rough or steep surfaces.
Clambering is usually neutral to slightly literary in register.
Clambering: in British English it is pronounced /ˈklæm.bər.ɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈklæm.bɚ.ɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “clambering up the corporate ladder (metaphorical)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of CLAMbering – like a CLAM trying to climb a rock, awkward and slow, using its 'hands' (shell) and 'feet' (foot).
Conceptual Metaphor
DIFFICULT PROGRESS IS AWKWARD CLIMBING (e.g., clambering out of debt).
Practice
Quiz
Which scenario best illustrates 'clambering'?