crams; crammed; cramming
1
: to fill (something) so that there is no room for anything else : to fill (something) completely
He crammed the suitcase with his clothes.
Before the trip I crammed my head with information about Spain.
Protesters crammed the streets.
—often used as (be) crammedWith so many guests, the house was really crammed. [=packed]
The little store is crammed full of books.
The museum felt crammed with statues.
My schedule is totally crammed [=full] this week. Can we meet next week?
2
a
: to push or force (someone or something) into a space that is tight or crowded
—usually + into or in
He tried to cram all his clothes in/into one suitcase.
We can cram [=pack, squeeze] six people into my car.
The instructor crammed a lot of information into one week.
b
: to push or force yourself into a space that is tight or crowded
—usually + into
We all crammed into one car.
Thousands of people crammed into the stadium.
3
a
: to prepare for a test, exam, etc., by learning a lot of information quickly
—usually + for
He's cramming for the exam tomorrow.
b
chiefly British
: to prepare (someone) for a test, exam, etc., by teaching a lot of information quickly
—usually + for
The class crams students for the exam.
plural crams
US
: a quick period of study in order to learn a lot of information quickly for a test, exam, etc.
—usually used before another noun
We're having a cram session tonight to prepare for tomorrow's test.
She's taking a cram course.
Note: A cram school is a school designed to help students prepare for exams and get into better schools.
Cite this Entry
“Cram.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/cram. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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