pearl clutching en · NOUN
Etymology
From the image of a genteel woman clutching her pearl necklace in shock.
Meanings
-
(derogatory, idiomatic, uncountable) Ostentatious prim or prudish behaviour, as when being offended.
Vance, in response to the Politico report on Tuesday, said he refuses “to join the pearl clutching when people call for political violence.”
2025 October 15, Ryan Mancini, “Carville rips Vance for response to Young Republican group chat”, in The Hill, archived from the original on 17 Oct 2025:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| pearl-clutching | alternative | lexicographic |