1
as in confined
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2
as in constricted
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Dissimilar Words
as in hampered
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
having to constantly entertain guests at the summer cottage was really cramping my writing efforts
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Recent Examples of cramped
Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Thirty minutes before the start of the Gaston County Schools board meeting, attendees already spilled out of the boardroom and into the cramped hallway.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
An intense paint color can also make an often small space, such as a bathroom, feel even more cramped and humid.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
The dynamic keeps the film from ever feeling too cramped or quiet, and the characters from ever being held at too far a remove.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
The defendants’ family members jockeyed for spots in the cramped space.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2026
Potterheads across the globe will instantly recognize Harry’s not-so-homely house on Privet Drive, his cramped excuse of a bedroom and the endless disdain oozing from the young wizard’s unloving aunt and uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley.
—Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
This summer, Dallas must better balance its roster around Flagg so he won’t be asked to maneuver on such a cramped floor again.
—Christian Clark, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Poor Space Planning Awkward door swings, insufficient clearance, poor storage options, or improper placement of vanities and toilets make any bathroom feel cramped and inconvenient.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 9 Mar. 2026
Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 9 May 2026
The top of the shoe is lightweight and breathable, so your feet aren’t stuck feeling hot or cramped halfway through the day.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
The corridor is cramped, chaotic, and difficult for people to navigate.
—Samara Karasyk, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026
The 14-inch LCD screen offers a 1366-by-768 HD-ready resolution and was a little cramped for multiple windows.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
Slim-profile seating reads as elegant rather than cramped.
—Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
Our house is small, but it’s not cramped.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
The Mercury and Gemini spacecraft were too cramped to change clothing, so on those early missions, the crew members remained in their pressure suits.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026
At the time, many people who had previously toiled in the fields shifted to working long shifts in cramped, and often dangerous manufacturing and textile facilities while increasingly resenting the industrialists who owned the factories.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The trial kicked off April 8 in a cramped second-story courtroom in Burbank.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Thirty minutes before the start of the Gaston County Schools board meeting, attendees already spilled out of the boardroom and into the cramped hallway.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
An intense paint color can also make an often small space, such as a bathroom, feel even more cramped and humid.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
The dynamic keeps the film from ever feeling too cramped or quiet, and the characters from ever being held at too far a remove.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
The defendants’ family members jockeyed for spots in the cramped space.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2026
Potterheads across the globe will instantly recognize Harry’s not-so-homely house on Privet Drive, his cramped excuse of a bedroom and the endless disdain oozing from the young wizard’s unloving aunt and uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley.
—Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
This summer, Dallas must better balance its roster around Flagg so he won’t be asked to maneuver on such a cramped floor again.
—Christian Clark, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Poor Space Planning Awkward door swings, insufficient clearance, poor storage options, or improper placement of vanities and toilets make any bathroom feel cramped and inconvenient.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
Some photos show cramped cabins with small windows and beds that can sleep two to four people.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 9 May 2026
The top of the shoe is lightweight and breathable, so your feet aren’t stuck feeling hot or cramped halfway through the day.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
The corridor is cramped, chaotic, and difficult for people to navigate.
—Samara Karasyk, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026
The 14-inch LCD screen offers a 1366-by-768 HD-ready resolution and was a little cramped for multiple windows.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
Slim-profile seating reads as elegant rather than cramped.
—Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
Our house is small, but it’s not cramped.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
The Mercury and Gemini spacecraft were too cramped to change clothing, so on those early missions, the crew members remained in their pressure suits.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026
At the time, many people who had previously toiled in the fields shifted to working long shifts in cramped, and often dangerous manufacturing and textile facilities while increasingly resenting the industrialists who owned the factories.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cramped
Adjective
-
For instance, light particles like positrons (or electrons, in this experiment) need extremely fast oscillations, gigahertz (GHz) frequencies, to stay confined.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Diners are there to enjoy a nice, relaxing meal, but some dogs, especially very large dogs or multiple dogs, can be a handful in small, confined spaces.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But most summit speakers treated circularity—a nebulous concept at the best of times—largely as an engineering challenge, one hampered by immature infrastructure, policy gaps and weak economics.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
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The company is seeking to create a Duchenne gene therapy that is more effective and safer than Sarepta Therapeutics’ Elevidys, which has been hampered by safety concerns, particularly following the deaths of two recipients from liver failure.—
Jason Mast,
STAT,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Access to early education remains limited, waitlists are long, and costs continue to rise.—
Tina Dello Russo,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
-
The makers of Dad's Root Beer acquired the company in 2007 and produces Bubble Up in limited quantities today.—
Teresa Mull,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
During the next three weeks, mobile internet was impeded or shut off in the center of Moscow.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
Two off-the-field issues also impeded Gonzalez’s progress as a player.—
Steve Reaven,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Investigators say Mott climbed over an 8-foot fence topped with barbed wire before entering the restricted airfield.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
-
And speaking of restricted free agency, the obvious winner for most regrettable decision one year later was choosing Christian Braun’s extension over Peyton Watson’s.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
13 May 2026
Verb
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His game was based on his athletic prowess in the challenges and ability to provide food to camp, and hindered by his lack of social strategy, which proved to be his downfall each of the four times he’s previously returned.—
Nic Juarez,
Vulture,
12 May 2026
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So that lack of continuity may have hindered him, possibly.—
Ed Guzman,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
The five-time Masters champ was arrested March 27 on a DUI charge after the crash, which occurred when his Land Rover SUV attempted to pass a pickup truck pulling a pressure-cleaner trailer on a narrow, two-lane road in the Treasure Coast town.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
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The company also topped revenue expectations for the first quarter and posted a narrower-than-expected loss than analysts anticipated, according to FactSet.—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
That this series has flipped on its head seemed almost impossible last Sunday, when the Celtics embarrassed Philadelphia in a Game 4 win on the Sixers’ home floor.—
Tobias Bass,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
The Mets were embarrassed by the Washington Nationals in an 14-2 blowout to even up the series at one game apiece.—
James O'Connell,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cramped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cramped. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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