clammed up
Stopped talking suddenly
Clammed up is the past tense of clam up, meaning to suddenly stop talking or refuse to speak.
The image is of a clam snapping its shell shut.
People clam up when nervous, evasive, or unwilling to share: He clammed up the moment the police arrived.
She was chatty until I asked about her ex, then she clammed up.
Without voice or sound
- speechlessUnable to talk
- wordlessLacking spoken content
- quietLacking in sound
- tight-lippedUnwilling to divulge
taciturn · voiceless · hushed · reticent · laconic · tongue-tied · dumbstruck · mum
Unwilling to divulge
- furtiveSecretive and sly
- discreetCareful to avoid notice
- crypticObscure in meaning
- covertIntentionally concealed
concealing · hushed · mum · buttoned-up · close-mouthed · zipped · confidential · hush-hush
Wary and restrained
- protectiveServing to guard
- waryGuardedly alert
- cautiousCareful to avoid risk
- suspiciousInclined to distrust
distrustful · evasive · cagey · stonewalling · deflecting · non-committal · dodgy · uncooperative
Uneasy and apprehensive
- tenseStrained or nervous
- apprehensiveFearful of future events
- uneasyTroubled, not calm
- jitteryAnxiously restless
stressed · worried · panicky · fearful · tongue-tied · flustered · rattled · freezing up
mute
Without voice or sound
- speechlessUnable to talk
- wordlessLacking spoken content
- quietLacking in sound
tight-lipped · taciturn · voiceless · hushed · reticent · laconic · tongue-tied · dumbstruck · mum · unresponsive
tight-lipped
Unwilling to divulge
covert · concealing · hushed · mum · buttoned-up · close-mouthed · zipped · confidential · hush-hush · clandestine
guarded
Wary and restrained
- protectiveServing to guard
- waryGuardedly alert
- cautiousCareful to avoid risk
suspicious · distrustful · evasive · cagey · stonewalling · deflecting · non-committal · dodgy · uncooperative · resistant
nervous
Uneasy and apprehensive
- tenseStrained or nervous
- apprehensiveFearful of future events
- uneasyTroubled, not calm
jittery · stressed · worried · panicky · fearful · tongue-tied · flustered · rattled · freezing up · choking
introverted
Turned toward inner life
detached · retreating · isolating · disengaging · shrinking · retreated · shell · turtle · cocooning · internalizing
- speechlessspeechless, mute, wordless, tongue-tied, dumbstruck
- withdrawalwithdrawing, cash withdrawal, ATM withdrawal, early withdrawal, fund withdrawal
clammed upopened up
Became emotionally accessible
spoke up · blabbed · spilled the beans · talked · let it all out
clammed upopened up
Became emotionally accessible
confided · came clean · bared one's soul · shared · poured one's heart out
clam, clammy, clams, clamminess, clam up, clammed, clamming, clammily, unclamp