gum up (something)
idiom
informal
: to prevent (something) from working or flowing properly
Don't use that paper with the copier; you'll gum it up.
The highway construction has really gummed up traffic.
The bearings are all gummed up with mud.
Examples of gum up (something) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But there are still Senate Republicans who could gum up the works as Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) works to shepherd the legislation through the upper chamber with only three votes to spare.
—
Al Weaver, The Hill, 1 June 2025
Screenwriters, who were treated by the front office as the disposable help, got a measure of revenge by portraying their employers as idiots or vulgarians whose sole role in filmmaking was to write the checks and gum up the works.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2025
They get paid millions of dollars and gum up the works.
—Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 21 Mar. 2025
Heat waves can gum up hospitals enough to bring deadly consequences even beyond patients directly afflicted, a new study finds.
—Ben Geman, Axios, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gum up (something)
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Al Weaver, The Hill, 1 June 2025
Screenwriters, who were treated by the front office as the disposable help, got a measure of revenge by portraying their employers as idiots or vulgarians whose sole role in filmmaking was to write the checks and gum up the works.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2025
They get paid millions of dollars and gum up the works.
—Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 21 Mar. 2025
Heat waves can gum up hospitals enough to bring deadly consequences even beyond patients directly afflicted, a new study finds.
—Ben Geman, Axios, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gum up (something)
Cite this Entry
“Gum up (something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gum%20up%20%28something%29. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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