What does clutter mean?
Word: Clutter
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Clutter means an untidy pile of things lying around and filling up a space. As a verb, to clutter a place is to fill it untidily.
Synonyms: mess, jumble, litter
Antonyms: tidiness
How do you spell clutter?
Syllables: clut - ter
Tricky part: It starts with cl, not kl, and the vowel is a short u, as in cut.
Watch out for: klutter, cloutter
Memory tip: Clearing up clutter: clear and clutter start with the same two letters, cl.
Clutter in a sentence
Example 1: Isla cleared the clutter off her desk before starting her homework.
Example 2: Old newspapers and empty boxes cluttered the balcony.
Example 3: Too many pictures clutter a poster and hide its main message.
Fun Fact
Clutter grew out of an older English word, clotter, meaning to gather into lumps. It is related to clot.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
clutter
a) muddle
b) chaos
c) order
d) heap
Show answer
c) order. Muddle, heap and chaos all describe clutter itself; order is its opposite.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The storeroom behind the school hall was full of broken chairs and dusty cluter.
a) dusty
b) broken
c) storeroom
d) cluter
Show answer
d) cluter. Say clut-ter slowly: the first syllable ends in t and the next begins with one.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
turtcle
a) cutlery
b) clutter
c) flutter
d) cluster
Show answer
b) clutter. There is no s, so cluster is out; cutlery needs a y and flutter an f.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) cluttar
b) scatter
c) glitter
d) shudder
Show answer
a) cluttar. Like scatter and glitter, clutter finishes with -er.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these would you call clutter?
a) books standing in neat rows on a shelf
b) a freshly swept and empty verandah
c) old bags, shoes and toys heaped in a corner
d) clothes folded and put away in a cupboard
Show answer
c) old bags, shoes and toys heaped in a corner
2. Before moving house, many families declutter their homes. To declutter is to ____.
a) clear out things you do not need
b) paint the walls a new colour
c) decorate with lights and flowers
d) invite relatives for a meal
Show answer
a) clear out things you do not need
