cram

1 of 2

verb

crammed; cramming

transitive verb

1
: to pack tight : jam
cram a suitcase with clothes
a novel crammed with surprises
2
a
: to fill with food to satiety : stuff
b
: to eat voraciously : bolt
the child crams her food
3
: to thrust in or as if in a rough or forceful manner
crammed the letters into his pocket
4
: to prepare hastily for an examination
cram the students for the test

intransitive verb

1
: to eat greedily or to satiety : stuff
2
: to study a subject intensively especially for an imminent examination
crammer noun

cram

2 of 2

noun

1
: a compressed multitude or crowd : crush
2
: last-minute study especially for an examination

Examples of cram in a Sentence

Verb He crammed the suitcase with his clothes. Before the trip I crammed my head with information about Spain. Noun battling the rush-hour cram in the subway
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Plus, modern chip design is extremely complex, with millions or billions of transistors crammed onto tiny processors using nanometer-scale processing technologies. New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2024 Now, some tourism experts and operators want to broaden the island’s image from predominantly a sea and sun destination, which crams their tourism season into just a few months. Rebecca Ann Hughes, Fortune Europe, 11 Oct. 2024
Noun
Most people infected with the toxin-producing E. coli experience severe stomach crams, diarrhea and vomiting. Kate Gibson, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2024 During that time, as the ultra-wealthy cram bigger and bigger homes into Malibu’s rugged mountains and along coveted beaches, the community has become the centerpiece of a debate over development vs. preservation and the government’s role in maintaining California’s natural beauty. Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cram 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cram.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English crammen, from Old English crammian; akin to Old Norse kremja to squeeze

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cram was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cram

Cite this Entry

“Cram.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cram. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

cram

verb
ˈkram
crammed; cramming
1
: to stuff or crowd in
cram clothes into a bag
2
: to fill full
barns crammed with hay
3
: to study hard just before a test
crammer noun

Biographical Definition

Cram 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

Donald James 1919–2001 American chemist

Cram

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

Ralph Adams 1863–1942 American architect and author

More from Merriam-Webster on cram

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