crowding

Definition of crowdingnext
present participle of crowd
1
as in cramming
to fit (people or things) into a tight space crowded all the boats into the harbor before the storm struck

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

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 crowding The school then moved to temporary quarters in a former Sears building, where some parents expressed concerns about crowding, security, ventilation and lack of green space. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026 The video shows many people crowding one room, many of whom are on the floor. Dennis Valera, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026 Many airport lounges have also faced crowding issues, sometimes implementing time limits on lounge usage or having to turn away customers due to a lack of space. Ryley Amond, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026 Checking the app shortly before departure can also help riders spot delays or crowding and adjust their plans if needed. Navdeep Kaur, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026 The first row inside the Hendrick's County Courthouse was lined with Trooper Aaron Smith's loved one, while over 50 officers stood crowding along the walls. Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 16 Jan. 2026 Working in batches to prevent crowding the pan, add the chicken and sear until golden brown on both sides. Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 15 Jan. 2026 Epithelial tissues use it to keep tabs on crowding. Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026 There were times on this trip when all of them seemed to be crowding the banks at once. Stanley Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crowding
Verb
  • 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, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Meanwhile, investors are flocking to safe-haven assets, driving gold prices to record highs of more than $5,500 an ounce.
    Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
  • The chain is stealing market share from competitors, and consumers aged 18 to 24 years old are flocking to its restaurants, Yum CEO Chris Turner said on the company’s conference call.
    Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The two are seen huddling under a tree in the rain, laughing companionably.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
  • The cost of heating a home over winter is now more than some elderly couples’ pensions, Pekingnology reported, and villagers are huddling under blankets, or secretly burning firewood.
    Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 15 Jan. 2026
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
  • In ancient China, Fa Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) takes her ailing father’s place as a conscript by disguising herself as a man to help repel the invading Huns.
    David Faris, TheWeek, 27 Jan. 2026
  • With the circus invading New Orleans, there were more stories than the 26 Tribune reporters on site could wish for, Tribune reporter Don Pierson remembered.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Is piling up the other side’s body bags the best way forward?
    Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Amazon confirmed on Wednesday 16,000 corporate job cuts, piling onto an additional 14,000 layoffs in October 2025, though the company previously said the reductions were not about AI.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 1 Feb. 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
Verb
  • The vehicles are flexible, modular and feature advanced software for in-flight collaboration and re-targeting, and support swarming capability of autonomous aircraft.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 1 Feb. 2026
  • The biggest news organization in Minnesota is trying to serve as the sober counterweight to hysterical social media posts, swarming videos, political conflict, and public statements that contradict observable facts.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 25 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Crowding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crowding. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.

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