JAMS Synonyms: 148 Similar and Opposite Words

jams 1 of 2

noun

Definition of jams

plural of jam

as in snarls

a crowded mass (as of cars) that impedes or blocks movement thousands of cars trying to leave the stadium's parking lot at the same time are sure to create a jam

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as in pickles

a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape the heavy rain puts us in a real jam: all of the preparations are for a garden wedding

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jams

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of jam

as in stuffs

to fit (people or things) into a tight space jammed his clothes into the already bulging hamper

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as in blocks

to prevent passage through by filling with something firefighters found the nightclub's doorways jammed with trapped patrons

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in loads

to put into (something) as much as can be held or contained the inn will jam a guest's picnic basket with an array of tempting foods

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in pushes

to force one's way several more people jammed into the bus even though there was hardly room to stand

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of jams

Noun

Heavy on grooves and jams, this album sometimes feels unfocused and indulgent. — Marc Ballon, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026 The Michigan Health and Human Services Department suggests cooking raspberries when possible, such as in pies and jams. — Erika Edwards, NBC news, 10 July 2026 The rest of the tracks play on elements of pop, alternative pop, pop rock, modern band sounds, and slow jams. — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 Natalia Cardona Sanchez from Guatemala makes tropical jams with Latin American and Caribbean flavors. — Siafa Lewis, CBS News, 1 July 2026 Others may step in when a package jams, a label fails to scan or a pallet needs human attention. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 Weekly jazz and gospel jams bring together veteran musicians and newcomers, while hip-hop performances have become an increasingly visible part of the venue’s identity. — J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026 The songs on Night Ripper briefly imagine surreal all-star jams, like Elton John with Dave Grohl and Biggie Smalls, before one instantly recognizable sample drops out and is replaced by another, over and over with infectious momentum. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 29 June 2026 He was followed by Wilson, a waiver claim from Philadelphia, who threw 4 1/3 shutout innings and escaped jams in the third and fourth innings. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026

Verb

Keanu Reeves jams out with his band, Dogstar, at their concert at Carlswerk Victoria in Cologne, Germany on July 2. — Brendan Le Updated, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026 That crud jams up the works of your coffee maker, slows brewing down, and impacts the taste of your morning brew. — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 16 Feb. 2026 The move effectively jams the upper chamber by including the repeal in the funding package without the necessary time to reverse course, giving the Senate no option but to approve it. — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026 Traffic regularly jams the freeway into the city, and residents fight over efforts to build more homes. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025 Someone breaks in, someone jams the signal from the home’s alarm system, someone monitors police radio traffic. — Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Aug. 2025 After Dex takes her down, Weyland recovers her brain and jams it into a supercomputer. — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for jams

Noun

Be prepared for traffic snarls and multiple security checkpoints.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 20 June 2026
Drivers should brace for traffic snarls this summer when South Elgin’s State Street bridge over the Fox River is reduced to one lane for road resurfacing work.

— Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026

Definition of snarls

Noun

Even before this manicure, pickles have been finding their unlikely way into the beauty world lately.

— Marci Robin, Allure, 9 July 2026
Here, instead of the mustard that’s included in many classic potato salad recipes, sour cream, vinegar, and briny pickles team up to lend a lovely amount of tartness to cut through the richness of the potatoes, eggs, and mayo.

— Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026

Definition of pickles

Verb

Throughout, visiting tourist Madeleine (Kristen Stewart) stuffs her face with every kind of meat, vegetable and carb while her father Phil (Woody Harrelson) is the one whose stomach miraculously swells.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
At home, Jonathan Wright, director of the Indianapolis art museum's park and gardens, stuffs in the plants, stacks the pots, and lets everything grow.

— Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 17 Apr. 2026

Definition of stuffs

Verb

The Connected Vehicle Rule, finalized in 2025 under the Biden Administration, effectively blocks Polestar from selling cars in the US starting with the 2027 model year.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 July 2026
One blocks the receptor binding protein, which the virus uses to attach to human cells.

— William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of blocks

Verb

Despite the unlikely duo closing in, the crime ring pushes past their limits, putting everything on the line for their beliefs — and their most ambitious heist yet.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 10 July 2026
This pushes brands to adopt medical terminology and focus on biological aging mechanisms, as seen with LYMA's new skincare system, developed with scientists and boasting clinical improvements like 71% hydration.

— Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of pushes

Noun

The bottlenecks are shifting from sheer computing power to securing supply of high-bandwidth memory chips that support rapid data transfer, according to the report.

— Bloomberg, Fortune, 8 July 2026
This occurs when multiple ships arrive in a short window at a port, overwhelming terminal capacity and often leading to severe bottlenecks.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 8 July 2026