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
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
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
With the current contact period, during which coaches can visit recruits, ending Saturday and the following period not starting until mid-April, his team was busy booking charter flights and cramming seven days' worth of visits into four or five days.
—
Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
For those who are able to board, cramming us together is unsafe, not to mention uncomfortable.
—Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
More people and new developments are cramming into Florida’s last-remaining greenspace, Lindsey O’Donnell said.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
Tens of thousands of residents are living with relatives, cramming into rental apartments or living in public buildings.
—Aref Tufaha, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
For two decades, 5-hour Energy, an energy drink sold in colorful two-ounce bottles in convenience store chains nationwide, has been the go-to booster for thousands of tired truckers and cramming college students.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2025
Instead of cramming everyone into the condo, Reed, his wife and the rest of the family will spend the weekend at Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 27 Nov. 2025
Operators are cramming more computing power into each server rack to meet the needs of AI and other high-performance computing applications.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Nov. 2025
The Second Division table showed Glossop were bottom at the time and Arsenal top, and the big crowd cramming into the small ground in the Derbyshire hills expected to see — and did see — the visitors dominate and score freely.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
For those who are able to board, cramming us together is unsafe, not to mention uncomfortable.
—Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
More people and new developments are cramming into Florida’s last-remaining greenspace, Lindsey O’Donnell said.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
Tens of thousands of residents are living with relatives, cramming into rental apartments or living in public buildings.
—Aref Tufaha, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
For two decades, 5-hour Energy, an energy drink sold in colorful two-ounce bottles in convenience store chains nationwide, has been the go-to booster for thousands of tired truckers and cramming college students.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2025
Instead of cramming everyone into the condo, Reed, his wife and the rest of the family will spend the weekend at Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 27 Nov. 2025
Operators are cramming more computing power into each server rack to meet the needs of AI and other high-performance computing applications.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Nov. 2025
The Second Division table showed Glossop were bottom at the time and Arsenal top, and the big crowd cramming into the small ground in the Derbyshire hills expected to see — and did see — the visitors dominate and score freely.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cramming
Verb
-
Fresh spinach requires large quantities and multiple steps—blanching, shocking, and squeezing—just to yield a usable amount.—
Amber Love Bond,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The bus ended up completely packed, everyone squeezing together in their parkas like a bunch of marshmallows.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Étouffée, made from the house Cajun seasoning blend simmered into a rich, dark sauce and served over white rice with a choice of shrimp or crawfish and a dinner salad, is filling without needing to be rushed.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Overseeing the task of filling those pages is Sarah Conway, 39, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist who joined the Reader as the new editor-in-chief in January.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Our collective efforts were failing as residents battled billionaires and the politicians gorging on them.—
Josh Peter,
USA Today,
20 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Nearly all the health damage from smoking comes from inhaling smoke produced by burning tobacco, not from nicotine itself.—
Kevin Bardosh,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Jan. 2026
-
Keep peppermint oil away from babies and young children, as inhaling the menthol in the oil may cause serious side effects for them.—
Heather Jones,
Verywell Health,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
These would have involved aircraft for jamming operations, some surveillance, fighter jets to strike targets, and some to provide an escort for the helicopters bringing in a special forces unit and members of the FBI.—
R. Evan Ellis,
The Conversation,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Is Mine Tour presented by Black Promoters Collective will also be jamming.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Many travelers at Detroit Metro Airport are packing some extra patience with much uncertainty at the gate due to the nationwide dreadful winter weather.—
Julia Avant,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Though not what many would think of when packing a car, kitty litter can come in handy for anyone who experiences a winter weather emergency on the roads.—
Lillian Metzmeier,
Louisville Courier Journal,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Matias Cid, a 25-year-old student who lives in Penco, described fast-moving flames burning through the night and devouring homes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Jan. 2026
-
Kelson sees the fragments of the individual left in this person the virus has turned into a brain-devouring behemoth and wonders at them.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Adding 1/2 cup to your washer drum before loading in dirty laundry will help boost the cleaning properties of your detergent.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
17 Jan. 2026
-
Caron added that the crew member involved was reportedly assisting ground staff by loading items as an extra set of hands and may have been left unaccounted for when the doors closed.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cramming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cramming. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
