crowd 1 of 2

1
as in throng
a great number of persons or creatures massed together a huge crowd of fans was on hand to greet the returning World Series champions

Synonyms & Similar Words

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crowd

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to stuff
to fit (people or things) into a tight space crowded all the boats into the harbor before the storm struck

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in to flock
to move upon or fill (something) in great numbers cars crowded the roads over the long holiday weekend

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun crowd differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of crowd are crush, horde, mob, and throng. While all these words mean "an assembled multitude," crowd implies a close gathering and pressing together.

a crowd gathered

Where would crush be a reasonable alternative to crowd?

The words crush and crowd are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, crush emphasizes the compactness of the group, the difficulty of individual movement, and the attendant discomfort.

a crush of fans

When might mob be a better fit than crowd?

While in some cases nearly identical to crowd, mob implies a disorderly crowd with the potential for violence.

an angry mob

How do throng and horde relate to one another, in the sense of crowd?

Both throng and horde suggest movement and pushing.

a throng of reporters
a horde of shoppers

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 crowd
Noun
For Skyline Drive, rely on state or nonprofit channels for updates on crowds or temporary closures, since some federal pages may not reflect current conditions during the lapse. Monica Sanders, Forbes.com, 21 Oct. 2025 Today, crowds gather to witness towering SpaceX boosters return to Earth, where they’re caught by giant mechanical arms. Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
Many hundreds of people also lined the blocks of Rancho Bernardo Road, while hundreds more crowded the intersection of Mira Mesa Boulevard and Westview Parkway, cheering and drawing choruses of car honks. Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2025 All of these messages crowd home screens alongside breaking news, advertisements, social-media likes, and push alerts. Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crowd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crowd
Noun
  • Atkinson and his family were walking from their downtown Columbus condo to a restaurant and noticed a throng of Blue Jackets fans camping outside Nationwide Arena to get a jump on tickets the following day.
    Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The event drew such a large crowd on Sunday that several Surf City residents complained on social media about a lack of security and noise control, as throngs of attendees poured onto the streets and blocked traffic.
    Claire Wang, Oc Register, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Nothing against the place, but there cannot be many cities, outside of Europe, where the local football community has been so well served in recent years.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
  • There’s community education if the state is going to censor your education.
    Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The movement of aid has increased through Israel’s border, but on a scale that Palestinians say falls short of the needs of a destitute populace.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2025
  • That’s where the actual populace is.
    Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • No one wants to feel stuffed into stiff jeans while 30,000 feet in the air.
    Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The Colts' defense, under new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, is eighth in points allowed and has been stuffing the run in outstanding fashion.
    Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While rumors of a bubble swirl in the broader tech ecosystem, Angelides, who also works as a venture partner for Samos Investments, doesn’t envision a future where investors flock to emerging markets for AI deals and create a boom and bust.
    Tasmin Lockwood, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
  • As a result of these opposing trends—sellers flocking to the market while buyers withdrew—the number of homes for sale across the nation surged to over 2 million this summer, a level unseen since the pandemic hit.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • There, huddled on the ground, is a motionless olive-green songbird.
    NPR, NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
  • After huddling over an onX map, our small orange army decided to head for the shelter belt on the far north edge of the field.
    Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Until Toliver ran into Mullen senior defensive end Mason Bonner, who led a swarm of defenders and smothered Toliver for a 3-yard loss.
    Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 18 Oct. 2025
  • D’Amico’s earlier work using onboard star tracker cameras to support satellite swarm navigation has been successfully deployed on NASA’s Starling Mission.
    Robin Roenker, USA Today, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Other photos in the bunch included a mirror selfie with his hair pushed back courtesy of a headband, his Cloud23 hot sauce on store shelves, Animal-style fries from In-N-Out Burger (plus plenty of ketchup) and more of life’s special little moments.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Circ, which is building its first commercial-scale plant in France, too, has rallied together a bunch of allies.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Crowd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crowd. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

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