cramp

1 of 4

noun (1)

1
: a painful involuntary spasmodic contraction of a muscle
2
: a temporary paralysis of muscles from overuse compare writer's cramp
3
a
: sharp abdominal pain
usually used in plural
b
: persistent and often intense though dull lower abdominal pain associated with dysmenorrhea
usually used in plural
crampy adjective

cramp

2 of 4

noun (2)

1
a
: a usually iron device bent at the ends and used to hold timbers or blocks of stone together
b
: clamp
2
a
: something that confines : shackle
b
: the state of being confined

cramp

3 of 4

verb

cramped; cramping; cramps

transitive verb

1
: to affect with or as if with a cramp or cramps
2
a
: confine, restrain
was cramped in the tiny apartment
b
: to restrain from free expression
used especially in the phrase cramp one's style
My mother wasn't one to do much cooking. It cramped her style.Lonnée Hamilton
3
: to fasten or hold with a cramp

intransitive verb

: to be affected with cramps

cramp

4 of 4

adjective

1
: hard to understand or figure out
cramp law terms
cramp handwriting
2
: being cramped
a cramp corner

Examples of cramp in a Sentence

Verb Writing for such a long time may cramp your hand. His leg was cramping so badly he could hardly move it. The new regulations may cramp the company's financial growth.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Probiotics alter the microbiome, so when they are first introduced, some people may experience temporary symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Shushy Rita Setrakian Ms, Verywell Health, 21 Feb. 2024 Consuming more than that increases the risk of diarrhea, abdominal cramps and nausea. Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Scientific American, 16 Feb. 2024 Other studies show peppermint tea can relieve migraines, headaches, muscle spasms and menstrual cramps. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024 Milk allergies are different from lactose intolerance, which is characterized by nausea, cramps, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms after dairy consumption that are uncomfortable but not life-threatening. Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 5 Feb. 2024 Persistent cramps also forced him to sit out the final minutes of a few games that the Bruins went on to lose. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2024 More commonly known as a charley horse, a nighttime leg cramp is when the muscles in a leg quickly tighten up. Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2024 Sure, my old hair straighteners don’t look great when compared to today’s generation of sleek wands, but the cramps and singed fingers felt like a small price to pay for poker straight hair at the time. Hasina Jeelani, Vogue, 19 Jan. 2024 Symptoms of infection usually occur within 12 hours to three days after eating contaminated food and include diarrhea, fever, nausea and abdominal cramps. Kate Gibson, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2024
Verb
On the same day President Joe Biden announced he's headed to the southern border this week, the New York City Fire Department discovered 40 West African migrants cramped into a small Queens basement behind a furniture store sleeping in dangerous conditions. Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2024 Miscarriage will feel different for everyone, but can feel similar to a heavy period with cramping, bleeding, and pain. Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Parents, 23 Feb. 2024 This speaks to a larger issue of healthcare outreach in minority communities. Symptoms and the Challenges of Early Diagnosis The early symptoms of PAD include feelings of pain, achiness, cramping, and discomfort in your feet, calves, or thighs. Francisco J. Rivera Rosario, Health, 22 Feb. 2024 Some patients report a cramping feeling during the procedure, while others don't feel any pain. Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024 At first, Rick, my older son, thought sitting home, watching television with his mother and younger brother would cramp his style. Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2024 The third row of seats is relatively easy to get into and out of, but cramped. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 1 Feb. 2024 Instead of cramping the kitchen with bulky cabinets, go for open shelving. Marisa Spyker, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2023 In between archival footage, which features Quincy Jones, Cyndi Lauper and several musicians cramped together in a small studio, Richie explained that actual lyrics for the track didn’t come together until Stevie Wonder joined the project. Starr Bowenbank, Billboard, 9 Jan. 2024
Adjective
The only thing that could stop Johnson, who is being recruited by Louisville and other schools, was a cramp. Brooks Warren, The Courier-Journal, 27 Jan. 2024 Ohtani prematurely departed from an early August start because of a finger cramp. Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023 But staying proved a choice costly to his 4-year-old son, Maksym, who was struck by shrapnel and now has nerve problems that cause his legs to cramp. Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Oct. 2023 Amid criticism over the Angels’ handling of Ohtani’s health, general manager Perry Minasian told reporters Aug. 26 that the team offered to conduct imaging after Ohtani experienced a finger cramp earlier in the month, but the two-way star declined. Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2023 Minasian suggested the Angels were proactive, offering to do imaging exams after Ohtani reported a finger cramp on Aug. 3. Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2023 On a night when Aledo’s defense was bypassed for 434 yards while he was largely hindered by a cramp, linebacker Davhon Keys found a way to leave his imprint on both sides of the ball. Greg McKenna, Dallas News, 2 Sep. 2023 Minasian suggested the Angels were proactive, offering to do imaging exams after Ohtani reported a finger cramp on Aug. 3 against the Seattle Mariners. Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2023 Jansen finishes despite cramp Cora and a member of the training staff checked on Kenley Jansen during the ninth inning. Julian McWilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cramp.' 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

Noun (1)

Middle English crampe, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch crampe; akin to Old High German krampf bent

Noun (2)

Middle English crampe, from Middle Dutch

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cramp was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near cramp

Cite this Entry

“Cramp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cramp. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cramp

1 of 2 noun
1
: a sudden painful involuntary tightening of muscle
2
: sharp pain in the abdomen
usually used in plural
crampy adjective

cramp

2 of 2 verb
1
: to affect with or as if with cramps
2
a
: to hold back from free movement : confine
felt cramped in the tiny room
b
: to hold back from free action or expression : hamper
used especially in the phrase cramp one's style

Medical Definition

cramp

1 of 2 noun
1
: a painful involuntary spasmodic contraction of a muscle
a cramp in the leg
2
: a temporary paralysis of muscles from overuse see writer's cramp
3
a
: sharp abdominal pain
usually used in plural
b
: persistent and often intense though dull lower abdominal pain associated with dysmenorrhea
usually used in plural

cramp

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to affect with or as if with a cramp or cramps
gout cramping his limbs

intransitive verb

: to suffer from cramps

More from Merriam-Webster on cramp

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