cram 1 of 2

noun

Definition of cramnext
as in swarm
a great number of persons or things massed together battling the rush-hour cram in the subway

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cram

2 of 2

verb

ˈkram How to pronounce cram (audio)
1
as in to squeeze
to fit (people or things) into a tight space tried to cram one more book into the backpack

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2
as in to fill
to put into (something) as much as can be held or contained crammed his mouth with candy

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3
as in to stuff
to fill with food to capacity one of those eating contests in which competitors attempt to cram themselves with as many hot dogs as they can in three minutes

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4
as in to devour
to swallow or eat greedily the thoughtless guest crammed a dinner that had taken hours to prepare

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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 cram
Noun
Tangent time, spinning off this specific expansion (and recalling those who forever want to cram uninspiring Power 4 teams into college football’s championship systems). — Jason Kirk, New York Times, 1 May 2026 DeSantis’ map crams Democrats into just four of 28 districts – a high-stakes gamble that requires lightning to strike twice. — Daniel A. Smith, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
The situation is also symptomatic of broader strains on the country's higher education system, where grossly limited spots leave millions cramming for months, or even years, and high-stakes entrance exams leave many of them burnt out and in debt. — Sakshi Dayal, USA Today, 22 July 2026 At least 5,000 people perished, most of them in La Guaira state, a strip of cities and slums crammed between the coastal cordillera and the Caribbean Sea, half an hour from Caracas. — Rafael Osío Cabrices, Time, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cram
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cram
  1. swarm
  2. squeeze
  3. fill
  4. stuff
  5. devour
  6. throng
  7. load
  8. pack
Noun
  • Nature evolved swarm intelligence in species like bees and fish.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The band quits when the director releases a swarm of bees onto the set (the original clip featured dogs), only to be replaced by look-alikes.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of swarm
Verb
  • Rising costs have hit lower-income Americans the hardest, squeezing their discretionary spending.
    — Michelle Chapman, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Missouri Republicans redrew their map to squeeze Democrats, while Virginia moved its primary from June to August for a Democratic redistricting push that courts ultimately threw out.
    — Maham Javaid, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • Spoon about 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture in the center of each square, and spread slightly to fill the smaller square while maintaining the border.
    — Torie Cox, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The seats were filled with families and friends all huddled underneath the shade of umbrellas to enjoy an afternoon ice cream.
    — Hali Smith August 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of fill
Verb
  • The defense then stuffed a Vidal run before Herbert connected with Johnston for another touchdown from five yards out.
    — Daniel Popper, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Imagine trying to swallow a sip of water while your face feels stuffed with congestion, your sense of taste is dulled and your body is floating 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth.
    — Sundeep Venkatesan, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of stuff
Verb
  • Videos ​will appear on Disney+ under a Verts tab designed to ⁠capture younger audiences who devour vertical video on mobile phones.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Across the fairgrounds’ sprawling 277 acres, visitors can experience livestock shows and rodeos, watch a parade and football, pick out their dream car at the Texas Auto Show, devour funnel cakes and go for a ride on the Texas Star ferris wheel.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of devour
Noun
  • Right in the middle of cheering, reveling masses was MARTA — a connective system of veins that efficiently moved the happy throngs.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • That was illustrated by the massive media throng surrounding Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, just one table away from where Whittingham spoke to a slightly smaller crowd.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of throng
Verb
  • Both teams loaded the bases in the seventh but failed to score.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Antonio Lorenzo Covington, 32, was unable to explain the extra charges, despite being at the scene when the vehicle was loaded and towed, court documents report.
    — Mark Price July 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
Definition of load
Verb
  • Once a lawyerly panel, a takeover by a trio of conservatives deeply mistrustful of the state’s voting system has turned the board’s once mundane meetings into boisterous events packed with crowds of cheering and jeering activists.
    — Tamar Hallerman, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Whipped up in only 20 minutes, it’s packed with flavor from goat cheese, walnuts, prosciutto, green apple, and loads of garlic.
    — Hannah Agran, Midwest Living, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of pack

Browse Nearby Words

crakes
cram
crammed
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Cite this Entry

“Cram.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cram. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of cram for Spanish Speakers

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