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
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2
as in filling
to put into (something) as much as can be held or contained
crammed his mouth with candy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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4
as in inhaling
to swallow or eat greedily
the thoughtless guest crammed a dinner that had taken hours to prepare
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cramming
If a dozen new works over four days isn’t enough, try cramming 50 plays by 50 playwrights into a single day.
—
Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
The Halfday Convertible 2-in-1 Garment Duffel Bag will help avoid cramming extra clothes into your main bag, which usually leads to everything getting messy and disorganized.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026
Bring a lightweight coat with big pockets, and start cramming stuff into them.
—Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
Instead of using an oversized crock or cramming utensils into drawers and making a mess, try hanging them on the wall.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2026
However, Wittmann cautions against cramming one’s day planner with novel experiences as a means of seizing (and holding on to) the day.
—Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 8 Apr. 2026
With referees increasingly tolerant of grappling inside the six-yard box, more teams are deliberately cramming players around opposition goalkeepers, blocking their movements and attacking the space around them rather than the ball itself.
—Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Spreading protein across breakfast, lunch and dinner also works better than cramming it into one meal.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
The plush red seats of the Concertgebouw's main auditorium are occupied by students cramming for upcoming exams and finishing dissertations as classical music fills the hall.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
The Halfday Convertible 2-in-1 Garment Duffel Bag will help avoid cramming extra clothes into your main bag, which usually leads to everything getting messy and disorganized.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026
Bring a lightweight coat with big pockets, and start cramming stuff into them.
—Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
Instead of using an oversized crock or cramming utensils into drawers and making a mess, try hanging them on the wall.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2026
However, Wittmann cautions against cramming one’s day planner with novel experiences as a means of seizing (and holding on to) the day.
—Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 8 Apr. 2026
With referees increasingly tolerant of grappling inside the six-yard box, more teams are deliberately cramming players around opposition goalkeepers, blocking their movements and attacking the space around them rather than the ball itself.
—Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Spreading protein across breakfast, lunch and dinner also works better than cramming it into one meal.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
The plush red seats of the Concertgebouw's main auditorium are occupied by students cramming for upcoming exams and finishing dissertations as classical music fills the hall.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cramming
Verb
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Gas prices, housing costs and groceries are squeezing people who are working hard yet still falling behind.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
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Prices for everything are higher, squeezing already tight budgets to the breaking point, with no end in sight.—
The Virginian Pilot And Daily Press Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Verb
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There are a total of 16 slots carved into the wooden frame and the Wild are one-fourth of the way to filling it up heading in Game 3 of the second round against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night at Grand Casino Arena.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
8 May 2026
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And here's a story about how the United States is exporting oil at record levels, filling a global supply gap even as gas prices remain stubbornly high back home.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Verb
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And all those who find the Dodgers’ gorging offensive also tend to overlook that their spending provides real benefits as well.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
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Of all the schemes that humans have devised to keep sea lions from gorging on the salmon of the Columbia River basin, none has worked for long.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There are no official animal exhibits along the walk, although there are small shelter areas for taking a seat, inhaling nature and feeling nostalgic.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
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Use caution when working with certain products; inhaling them could cause asthma symptoms.—
Sanja Jelic,
Verywell Health,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Two minutes later, the guitars have their own moment, jamming for more than a minute with Lewis’ vocals coming in only at the end.—
Tina Eves,
SPIN,
4 May 2026
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Darnell Nurse was committed almost entirely to jamming Gauthier’s shooting lane from the right circle.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
Verb
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In other area action Saturday, Winter Springs was looking to send Wesley Chapel packing after winning the first game of their 5A Region 2 series Friday night.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
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The Space-saving Swaps Streamlining my tech also made a huge difference in packing light and saving space.—
Kayla Kitts,
Travel + Leisure,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Customers have been devouring the plum galettes, which are flaky fruit pastries.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
6 May 2026
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Nonetheless, Munden added his own visual flair, with color saturation, distorted close-ups to show the characters’ disorientation, and mesmerizing shots of nature writ large (raging fires, roiling ocean waves, torrential storms) and small (ants devouring a bug).—
Stuart Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
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The Rays had a prime chance to at least get even in the sixth, getting two on with one out and loading the bases with two, but failed to score.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
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The Diamondbacks had a chance to get back in the game in the seventh, loading the bases with two down.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cramming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cramming. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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