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Teem and team are not just homophones, they are also etymological kin. Teem comes from Old English tīman or tǣman, which originally meant "to bring forth offspring" or "to give birth to.” That word is related to the ancestor of team, the Old English noun tēam, meaning "offspring, lineage, or group of draft animals." Team can still be used to refer to a brood of young animals, especially pigs or ducks, but both teem and team have otherwise largely left their offspring-related senses behind.
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What is the difference between the verbs teem and team?
If you want to describe an overflowing abundance of something, the word you are looking for is teem. We often see reference to "the teeming masses," "streets teeming with activity," or "forests teeming with life." You want the word team if you are trying to describe pairing two or more things in a coordinated ensemble ("she teamed the oxen together"), or forming some kind of partnership or association ("we are teaming with another organization this year").
Examples of teem in a Sentence
Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Her custom look in yellow crepe georgette felt fresh and modern and rightly stood out in a night teeming in black gowns and tuxedo interpretations.
—Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 9 Jan. 2026
In Stubb’s Cave, strangler-fig roots teemed from ceiling apertures.
—Henry Wismayer, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2026
The neighborhood/area The ocean is your playground here, and snorkelers and divers will find plenty of reasons to explore the teeming coral reefs below.
—Kristin Braswell, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for teem
Cite this Entry
“Teem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teem. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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