overcrowded

adjective

over·​crowd·​ed ˌō-vər-ˈkrau̇-dəd How to pronounce overcrowded (audio)
: crowded or filled to excess : having too many people or things
overcrowded streets/cities/classrooms
living in overcrowded conditions
… having an overcrowded space can make it hard for buyers to … visualize their own belongings in the space, said Los Angeles-based designer Francesca Grace.Jennifer Tzeses
… some 5 million workers commute for up to three hours on trains so overcrowded that there seem to be as many passengers hanging on to the outside of the carriages as there are inside.Ismail Merchant

Examples of overcrowded in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That has led to overcrowded and unsanitary cells and violence, the watchdog says. Aurelien Breeden, New York Times, 5 June 2024 Dogs lived in overcrowded kennels cleaned so infrequently that feces accumulated. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 4 June 2024 Our schools are overcrowded and residents feel that the supervisors have not required developers to do enough to support our schools. Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 2 June 2024 The shelter celebrated losing its overcrowded status with a video of staff members standing in the over 30 empty cages cleared out by the adoption event. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 28 May 2024 Beginning in the 1990s and increasing into the 2000s, Montgomery County’s housing growth slowed, but its schools remained overcrowded. Tom Coale, Baltimore Sun, 14 May 2024 The area, in Rafah’s northwest, was overcrowded with tents from people fleeing the assault on the city, which the Biden administration has warned against because of the risk to civilians lives. Ethan Bronner / Bloomberg, TIME, 27 May 2024 Housing instability takes many forms, including living in overcrowded, substandard situations. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2024 The report states that Sykesville Middle School is projected to be inadequate or overcrowded in fiscal 2028, with all other middle schools and all high schools rated adequate through fiscal 2029. Sherry Greenfield, Baltimore Sun, 20 May 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overcrowded.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of overcrowd

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overcrowded was in 1725

Dictionary Entries Near overcrowded

Cite this Entry

“Overcrowded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overcrowded. Accessed 12 Jun. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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