One syllable: clamps.
klamps
/klæmps/
clamps is pronounced klamps (/klæmps/). It has one syllable (clamps), with the stress on "clamps". Clamps is the plural noun for a device used to hold objects tightly in place, or a verb meaning to fasten with such devices. In everyday use it denotes securing something temporarily for work or transport, and in specialized contexts it can refer to medical or mechanical gripping tools. The sound begins with a voiceless alveolar stop and ends with a voiceless sibilant, producing a crisp, clipped cadence.
Clamps is the plural noun for a device used to hold objects tightly in place, or a verb meaning to fasten with such devices. In everyday use it denotes securing something temporarily for work or transport, and in specialized contexts it can refer to medical or mechanical gripping tools. The sound begins with a voiceless alveolar stop and ends with a voiceless sibilant, producing a crisp, clipped cadence.
"The carpenter secured the two boards with clamps while the glue dried."
"The technician tightened the clamps to prevent any movement during the test."
"She switched off the power and snapped the cable into clamps for safety."
US/UK/AU pronunciation is /klæmps/. The word is one syllable with a stressed first (and only) syllable. Start with an aspirated voiceless plosive /k/ followed by the lax front vowel /æ/ as in 'cat', then /l/ with a light tongue tip contact, and end with /m/ + /ps/ cluster where /p/ is released into the /s/ sound. Keep the /s/ crisp, almost sibilant, to avoid blending with the /m/. Visualize a firm, quick bite: /k/ + /l/ + /æ/ + /m/ + /ps/.
Common errors include pronouncing it as ‘clam’ with an /-p/ sound or omitting the /p/ in the /ps/ cluster, producing /klæms/ or /klæmp/ instead of the correct /klæmps/. Another frequent slip is slurring the /p/ into the /s/ so it sounds like /klæmss/ or /klæmps/ with a weak plosive release. To correct: ensure a clear /p/ release into the /s/; keep the tongue finishing with a momentary stop for /p/ before the sibilant. Practice crisp, minimal cue: /klæm/ + /ps/ with a distinct stop and sibilant.
In US, UK, and AU, /klæmps/ is largely the same for the stressed one-syllable form. The main variation is vowel quality: US tends to a slightly flatter /æ/ in 'clamp', UK can show a more open /æ/ with less nasalization, and AU often mirrors US but with a more centralized vowel height in rapid speech. The /s/ at the end remains a clear /s/ in all three. Non-rhotic accents may have subtle linking consonants in connected speech but the word itself stays /klæmps/.
The challenge lies in the final /ps/ consonant cluster: a left-to-right release from /p/ directly into /s/ can be tricky, especially at higher speed. The /æ/ vowel must stay short and lax to avoid elongation that a speaker might apply when saying ‘clamps’ in a hurry. Additionally, articulating /l/ immediately before /æ/ requires crisp tongue control to prevent an unintended /l/ assimilation into a vowel change. Focus on a clean /p/ release into /s/ with a brief /p/ closure.
The word ends with the /ps/ cluster, which is less common in simple syllables. The /p/ is unreleased into the /s/, requiring a quick, almost simultaneous plosive release immediately followed by the fricative /s/. Keep the jaw relaxed after the /æ/ to prevent a heavier /æ/ decay that could morph into /æmp/ or /æms/. This clean /ps/ burst defines the word’s crisp ending.
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Clamp comes from the late 16th century, deriving from Old English clampian or Scandinavian roots meaning to grip or press tightly. The term evolved from generic ‘to press’ to a specific device that enforces pressure on a workpiece. Early uses described woodworking or metalworking tools, often improvised, that held pieces together during assembly or curing processes. By the 18th and 19th centuries, industrial manufacturing popularized standardized clamps with defined jaws and screw mechanisms, including bench clamps and C-clamps. The plural form clamps gained traction as multiple devices were commonly used in tandem for stability. In modern usage, clamps span domestic, medical, and engineering domains, retaining the core sense of firm, temporary fastening. The word’s phonetic profile remains stable across varieties, with emphasis on the first syllable and a short, plosive onset followed by a sibilant ending, mirroring the compact, gear-like function of the tool. First known written attestations appear in trade manuals and mechanical drawings from Europe in the 1600s and 1700s, with broader vernacular adoption in American manufacturing texts by the 1800s.”,
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "clamps" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "clamps"
-mps sounds
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