1
as in confined
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2
as in constricted
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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
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
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
Cue the aforementioned wedding, lavish but hastily put together, and a sudden, drastic change in lifestyle, as she and Junyang are forced to live under the same roof as Boon Kiat and Bee Hwa, a cramped and fractious arrangement even before the baby’s arrival.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Feb. 2026
Avoid large pieces that clutter the space and block pathways to other rooms or the front door, as these can make the room feel cramped and less inviting.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026
Animals were found in cramped cages amid feces, piles of trash trash and the remains of other animals.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Jan. 2026
Lopatin and Safdie spent around four months in the summer and fall of 2025 working on the score in a cramped midtown studio.
—Jack Denton, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2025
As a New Yorker herself, Bellizzi treasured envisioning the cramped Lower East Side milieu that opens the film.
—Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2025
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 6 Apr. 2026
Communications are based on copper cabling and voice-grade phone lines, the HVAC systems leave the installations prone to damp, and the layouts are generally cramped, making repairs difficult.
—David Szondy
april 05, New Atlas, 5 Apr. 2026
The finalized millwork doesn’t completely reach the ceiling, which was an intentional design choice—leaving a white edge near the ceiling ensured the space wouldn’t feel too cramped.
—Annabelle Dufraigne, Architectural Digest, 4 Apr. 2026
Four people living in two minivans for 685,000 miles over 10 days, the duration of the Artemis flight, may sound a bit cramped, even claustrophobic.
—George Petras, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
While the Orion spacecraft is larger than NASA's Apollo capsules, it's still cramped — the interior has been compared to that of two SUVs.
—Tariq Malik, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Hahn writes that the Tidal Basin is cramped, overly popular with tourists and others who come to take photos, and sometimes flooded.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 Mar. 2026
Sleeping in the back of the truck also meant sacrificing storage space, and things got especially cramped when my wife joined me.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 20 Mar. 2026
The urgency element, combined with thin profit margins, long hours and generally hot, cramped working environments with fire and knives can create dangerous situations.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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
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
Cue the aforementioned wedding, lavish but hastily put together, and a sudden, drastic change in lifestyle, as she and Junyang are forced to live under the same roof as Boon Kiat and Bee Hwa, a cramped and fractious arrangement even before the baby’s arrival.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Feb. 2026
Avoid large pieces that clutter the space and block pathways to other rooms or the front door, as these can make the room feel cramped and less inviting.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026
Animals were found in cramped cages amid feces, piles of trash trash and the remains of other animals.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Jan. 2026
Lopatin and Safdie spent around four months in the summer and fall of 2025 working on the score in a cramped midtown studio.
—Jack Denton, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2025
As a New Yorker herself, Bellizzi treasured envisioning the cramped Lower East Side milieu that opens the film.
—Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2025
Verb
The layout of these facilities is also cramped, complicating maintenance work.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 6 Apr. 2026
Communications are based on copper cabling and voice-grade phone lines, the HVAC systems leave the installations prone to damp, and the layouts are generally cramped, making repairs difficult.
—David Szondy
april 05, New Atlas, 5 Apr. 2026
The finalized millwork doesn’t completely reach the ceiling, which was an intentional design choice—leaving a white edge near the ceiling ensured the space wouldn’t feel too cramped.
—Annabelle Dufraigne, Architectural Digest, 4 Apr. 2026
Four people living in two minivans for 685,000 miles over 10 days, the duration of the Artemis flight, may sound a bit cramped, even claustrophobic.
—George Petras, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
While the Orion spacecraft is larger than NASA's Apollo capsules, it's still cramped — the interior has been compared to that of two SUVs.
—Tariq Malik, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Hahn writes that the Tidal Basin is cramped, overly popular with tourists and others who come to take photos, and sometimes flooded.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 Mar. 2026
Sleeping in the back of the truck also meant sacrificing storage space, and things got especially cramped when my wife joined me.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 20 Mar. 2026
The urgency element, combined with thin profit margins, long hours and generally hot, cramped working environments with fire and knives can create dangerous situations.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cramped
Adjective
-
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
-
And some experts worry that as measles continues to appear in confined environments—such as, recently, an ICE facility in Texas—adequate infection-prevention measures will too frequently fall short.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Drone strikes and other attacks have hampered operations at energy ports in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and other nations, the Journal said.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Sandboxing allows firms to focus solely on moving experiments swiftly through the pilot phase because the teams working on them are not hampered by juggling experimentation with their day-to-day.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For example, Vermont legislators have introduced legislation requiring that tech products used in school be registered and certified with the Secretary of State to prove limited data collection and the absence of addictive algorithms.—
Abby McCloskey,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The City of Miami granted Nu Stadium a limited event permit, which is limited to that day, with specific hours, restrictions and additional precautions.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At other events, RAM's compassion is impeded by red tape.—
Brit McCandless Farmer,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Beyond the Cal/OSHA investigation, which has not previously been detailed publicly, attorneys for the state allege the Sheriff’s Department has impeded the workplace safety inquiry and refused to hand over vital documents, according to court filings in an ongoing dispute between the two agencies.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The piece highlights the challenges of documenting casualties amid ongoing conflict and restricted access for journalists.—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The restricted perspective allows the team behind the camera to shoot in continuity, starting with page one of the first episode and going more or less in order.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That said, Springfield has hindered municipalities in important ways from addressing their budget constraints.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
By some measures, Altman’s maneuver has not hindered the company’s success.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Outside of the narrow narrative of two Western Conference teams playing for identity and clarity ahead of the postseason next week looms a larger picture.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Spring visitors have a narrow window to explore before the green hills go brown, summer heat arrives and the education center closes for six months beginning June 1.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Bruce Jay Parker had always been quirky, in ways that generally delighted his friends and acquaintances, and frequently embarrassed his wife and two daughters.—
Ashley Parker,
The Atlantic,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The Yankees embarrassed the San Francisco Giants on the road to begin the 2026 MLB season.—
Tyler Erzberger,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cramped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cramped. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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