clutter up
B1 informal separable transitive
In simple words
To fill a room or place with too much stuff so there is no room for anything else.
Literal meaning: To fill completely ('up') with clutter ('clutter') — too many messy, unwanted objects.
Meanings
1 B1 informal
To fill a space with so many objects that it becomes untidy and difficult to use.
"Old magazines and boxes were cluttering up the hallway, making it impossible to walk through."
Grammar: separable
2 B2
idiomatic
informal
To fill a system, inbox, or mental space with too much unwanted information or material.
"Don't let unnecessary notifications clutter up your phone screen."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Common in everyday British and American English. The 'up' particle intensifies the sense of excess — the space is completely overwhelmed with objects. Often used disapprovingly. 'Clutter' as a noun refers to the accumulated mess itself.
Commonly used with
desk room inbox house kitchen mind
Forms
Base
clutter up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
clutters up
he/she/it
Past simple
cluttered up
yesterday
Past participle
cluttered up
have + pp
-ing form
cluttering up
continuous
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