Synonyms of jam

jam 1 of 2

noun

1

as in snarl

a crowded mass (as of cars) that impedes or blocks movement

thousands of cars trying to leave the stadium's parking lot at the same time are sure to create a jam

Synonyms & Similar Words

• snarl
• congestion
• bottleneck
• jam-up
• backup
• tailback
• logjam
• lock
• traffic
• tangle
• delay
• gridlock
• tie-up
• stoppage
• crawl
• slowdown

2

as in pickle

a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape

the heavy rain puts us in a real jam: all of the preparations are for a garden wedding

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pickle
• dilemma
• predicament
• hole
• bind
• swamp
• corner
• box
• spot
• rabbit hole
• impasse
• quagmire
• fix
• difficulty
• mire
• jackpot
• sticky wicket
• kettle of fish
• crisis
• soup
• rattrap
• hot water
• trouble
• catch-22
• emergency
• plight
• node
• pinch
• deadlock
• halt
• standstill
• quandary
• scrape
• clutch
• strait
• crossroad
• stalemate
• exigency
• logjam
• juncture

jam

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to stuff

to fit (people or things) into a tight space

jammed his clothes into the already bulging hamper

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stuff
• squeeze
• cram
• sandwich
• load
• wedge
• ram
• pack
• crowd
• shoehorn
• crush
• fill
• heap
• jam-pack

2

as in to block

to prevent passage through by filling with something

firefighters found the nightclub's doorways jammed with trapped patrons

Synonyms & Similar Words

• block
• obstruct
• stuff
• choke
• fill
• clog
• congest
• stop (up)
• dam
• gum (up)
• flood
• occlude
• plug (up)
• clot
• pack
• cork
• gridlock
• stopper
• bung
• fur
• overwhelm
• silt
• swamp
• stopple
• glut
• spile
• inundate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• free
• open (up)
• clear
• unplug
• hollow (out)
• unclog
• excavate
• unblock
• unstop
• scoop (out)
• empty
• lighten

3

as in to fill

to put into (something) as much as can be held or contained

the inn will jam a guest's picnic basket with an array of tempting foods

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fill
• pack
• load
• stuff
• cram
• heap
• brim
• refill
• flood
• jam-pack
• charge
• glut
• swamp
• bulk
• drench
• reload
• shove
• squeeze
• squash
• replenish
• ram
• penetrate
• bloat
• overflow
• mat
• crowd
• saturate
• repack
• press
• honeycomb
• refresh
• crush
• overfill
• overcharge

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• clear
• vacate
• void
• evacuate
• empty
• eliminate
• drain
• draw (off)
• lighten
• exhaust
• clean
• bleed
• sweep
• deplete
• flush
• purge
• scour

4

as in to push

to force one's way

several more people jammed into the bus even though there was hardly room to stand

Synonyms & Similar Words

• push
• squeeze
• elbow
• shove
• bull
• muscle
• press
• bore
• crash
• shoulder
• jostle
• thrust
• bulldoze
• ram

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of jam

Noun

Reports vary on the exact level of success or failure of Meghan's brand As Ever, but the jam, flower sprinkles and scented candles have become a bit of a joke. — Christina Dugan Ramirez , Ashley Papa , Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Others munched on popcorn and hot dogs covered with sweet corn relish and corn-bacon jam in anticipation of the game. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Verb

At that point, onboard autonomy takes over, making control link jamming largely irrelevant, Azhnyuk said. — David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026

The shooting suspect then returned to the payment window, and fired again through it at employees who were trying to render aid to Garibay, until his handgun jammed, the video showed. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026