verklempt

[ ver-klempt, vuh-, fer-, fuh- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

Informal.

overly emotional and unable to speak:
She got all verklempt at a press conference talking about a charity that matches actors and musicians with sick kids.

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Word History and Origins

First recorded in 1990–95; from Yiddish verklempt, farklempt “overcome with emotion,” past participle of verklem(m)en, farklem(m)en “to clamp (in a vise), pinch, choke, choke up,” from German verklemmt “inhibited, uptight,” literally, “pinched, squeezed,” past participle of verklemmen “to become stuck”

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The moment seemed to hit her like a wave halfway through, and she became visibly verklempt.

From

Brett announced that the winning team is Luciana and Buddha, which Buddha celebrates by noting that he is such a fan of Brett's and he "aspires to be him," which was such a meaningful moment and I'm sure resonated so much with Graham, who looked a bit verklempt after Buddha's glorifying admission.

From

Those who have spent the decades since the landmark 1973 decision, which affirmed a constitutional right to abortion, working to nullify a pregnant person’s bodily autonomy, now seem flustered and verklempt as they vacillate between delight and an existential what-now.

From

Comedy Central’s “Broad City” ended its five-season run in March, but its creators still feel a bit verklempt about it, judging from their appearance at a Los Angeles Times Envelope Live event this month.

From

“I’m getting verklempt now,” she said, looking away.

From

Verkhoyansk Range verkrampte

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