cramming

present participle of cram
1
as in squeezing
to fit (people or things) into a tight space tried to cram one more book into the backpack

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
as in gorging
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 cramming The same push toward cramming AI into every corner is also happening on Windows 11, where Microsoft Copilot promises to be helpful. — Adam Clark Estes, Vox, 18 Sep. 2026 The common thread among them is many, many hours spent cramming parenting and their careers into each day. — Tilly Berendt, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Kim was a relatively normal teenager who, while cramming for tests and navigating crushes, also had to save the world from any villain who wished to do harm. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026 The Pro Max is the one that gets the attention, cramming near-power-bank levels of capacity into a fairly standard-looking smartphone. — New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026 The roommates’ incompatible goals and perennial brokeness lead to side-splitting conflicts, with Shelby cramming for her GED while Kaitlin’s greatest ambition is to throw an epic island party. — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 The network had a two-way smuggling route between Algeria and Spain, transporting drugs to the African nation and cramming boats with migrants for the return trip to Spanish coastal towns, Spain’s Civil Guard said. — ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 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 An early 2022 op-ed in the University of Calgary’s student newspaper described the idea as the antithesis of hustle culture, one that finds satisfaction in mundane tasks rather than cramming productivity into every waking moment. — Allison Palmer july 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cramming
Verb
  • Moreover, the short extension of the trade armistice only underscores its fragility; Beijing is still squeezing flows of rare earths to extract concessions from the US and coerce its allies, including Japan.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 26 Sep. 2026
  • That high pressure and the burgeoning nor’easter are squeezing the air between them, increasing wind speeds along the East Coast.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • New to the roster was non-prof Roundabout’s The Imaginary Invalid starring Bill Irwin at the Haimes, filling 94% of seats for three previews for a take of $183,153.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Appeal for leniency Rivera has submitted about 50 letters of support to Damian, filling about 95 pages and presenting a portrait of the former congressman markedly different from the one offered by prosecutors.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • There will be title defenses from Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo, who are the Michael Jordan and Diana Taurasi of gorging sausages.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • But gorging on pollen alone wasn’t enough to lengthen a life.
    — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • But some people abuse it by inhaling it to feel relaxed or euphoric.
    — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Tottenham attempted to offload Bissouma last summer, and the club later initiated another internal investigation after an image leaked of Bissouma inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon again.
    — Colin Millar, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Electronic warfare systems commonly work by jamming or spoofing the radio links used to control unmanned aircraft.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
  • In other words…the exact group of people who might still be jamming to Macklemore.
    — Caitlin Dewey, Vox, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Schlittler sent his hometown Red Sox packing last October, striking out 12 while twirling eight scoreless innings in Game 3 of the 2025 Wild Card Series.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The Grammy-winning artist and seasoned runway attendee touched down in Milan for the spring 2027 presentation this week, packing plenty of statement styles.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Just like today’s tentacled ocean dwellers, the Mesozoic squid ancestor likely had no problem devouring its relatives—or even members of its own species.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Davis loved to read and collect books, devouring anything from John Updike and Margaret Atwood, among other authors, a passion that necessitated having bookshelves in every room of his home.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • But teachable moments for everyone, including the coaching staff, are loading.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Early deployments are not focused on robots that can perform household tasks such as loading a dishwasher or climbing stairs.
    — Artem Sokolov, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cramming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cramming. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster