PEARL-CLUTCHING Definition & Meaning

pearl-clutching

or pearl clutch·ing

[ purl kluhch-ing ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

outrage or dramatic protest, especially from a woman, caused by something the person perceives as vulgar, in bad taste, or morally wrong but that does not elicit a similarly strong reaction from most other people:
pearl-clutching over sexual jokes; so much fake pearl-clutching by the candidates.

adjective

noting or relating to someone, especially a woman, who is easily offended or shocked by things the person perceives as vulgar, in bad taste, or morally wrong:
pearl-clutching gasps from the audience; pearl-clutching conservatives.

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Other �y��vlog Forms

pearl-clutch verb (used without object)
��𲹰��-��ܳٳ��·�� noun

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of pearl-clutching¹

First recorded in 2000–05; pearl ( def ), clutch ¹( def ), -ing ¹( def ), -ing ²( def )

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The pearl-clutching and political fear-mongering from Democrats was obviously overblown.

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Conservatives have since expanded their pearl-clutching to transgender adults—but often, it’s still under that same guise of protection.

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Walz in particular has used the line that Trump is “weird” to great effect, treating Trump’s brashness not with pearl-clutching indignation but cheeky Midwest derision.

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The attitude is in keeping, though, with Swift’s latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” particularly in a song like “But Daddy I Love Him,” in which she appears to be mocking the pearl-clutching contingent of her fan base that disapproved of her rumored pre-Kelce relationship with Matty Healy of the 1975 because of offensive jokes he’d made.

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NBC was also able to integrate entertainment figures into its Olympics coverage without generating a lot of pearl-clutching from sports purists.

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