as in stitch
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle
I was suddenly awakened by a cramp in my leg
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
an antismoking ordinance that was seen as just another cramp on business by bar owners
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to impede
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
having to constantly entertain guests at the summer cottage was really cramping my writing efforts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cramp
Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
The most common symptoms are diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 2 Feb. 2026
Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 4 Feb. 2026
The Athletic’s Matt Burrows wrote about how pickle juice shooters are used to target nerves that cause cramping instead of the muscle itself for quick relief.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cramp
Noun
According to Food Allergy Research & Education, allergic reactions to soy are typically mild and produce symptoms such as hives, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and itching, but reactions can be unpredictable.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
The most common symptoms are diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 2 Feb. 2026
Verb
Go Big With Rugs If a room feels cramped or a little disjointed, the problem is often the rug.
—Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 4 Feb. 2026
The Athletic’s Matt Burrows wrote about how pickle juice shooters are used to target nerves that cause cramping instead of the muscle itself for quick relief.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cramp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cramp
Verb
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Aid groups say the true war death toll could be many times higher, as the fighting in vast and remote areas impedes access.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Feb. 2026
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Although privacy advocates have praised the ability of encryption to effectively scramble messages so third parties are unable to snoop on people’s conversations, various members of law enforcement have said that doing so impedes their ability to investigate certain crimes.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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These wafers offer fewer recombination sites, which can significantly enhance electrical performance, but their practical use has been hindered by fragility.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
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The shutdown will hinder Noem’s efforts to pivot away from Minneapolis.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
18 Feb. 2026
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This mounting deficit has hampered planning in San Diego ever since.—
Nico Calavita,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The team embarrassed Canada, 5-0, in the preliminary round, and swept the North American neighbor in four straight Olympic tune-ups.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
20 Feb. 2026
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Their team might need the firmer assessment that challenges pride and even embarrasses, then the next year's group might need a lighter touch.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The person notices the camera at Guthrie’s front porch and tries to cover the lens with their hand before scouting around the patio and yard area apparently for something to obstruct the camera.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Whenever these urgent hedge-fund risk-reduction events occurs, brokerage houses try to handicap how much more repositioning might be necessary to bring their posture back toward a neutral footing, like different hurricane models trying to forecast a storm’s path.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
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According to Isaks, some gamblers will try to handicap these bets, applying some sort of statistical analysis to find an edge.—
David Hill,
Rolling Stone,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cramp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cramp. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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