crowding

verb

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
as in huddling
to gather into a closely packed group everyone crowded around to see the baby being shown off by his proud parents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 About twenty men packed the space, leaning on shoulders and crowding the wall. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 July 2026 Photos also showed the bees crowding on nearby trees, weighing down on some tree limbs and branches. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 23 June 2026 Instead of crowding the nightstands with table lamps, hang wall sconces or pendant lights to make the room feel lighter and more open. — Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 29 June 2026 Offside was brought in to stop ‘goal hanging’ in the sport’s early years, which had created the unedifying spectacle of players perpetually crowding the goalkeeper. — Graham Scott, New York Times, 2 July 2026 Resident cites road, school crowding concerns Resident Kacey Pope urged the board to recommend denying the rezonings, and no residents spoke in favor of the projects. — Joe Marusak june 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 June 2026 Other pictures on unofficial Telegram channels showed residents crowding into underground stations. — Reuters, NBC news, 2 July 2026 Hundreds of proliferating nonprofits—focused on election integrity and democratic governance, and largely sharing the same mission and drawing from the same donors—are crowding an already bustling ecosystem of existing nonprofits, coalitions, and think tanks. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 28 June 2026 However, recent research by Kölbel, Heeb, Ramelli and Vasileva finds a modest crowding-in effect, where responsible investing reinforces public support for public policy. — Bhakti Mirchandani, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crowding
  1. cramming
  2. flocking
  3. huddling
  4. squeezing
  5. invading
  6. piling
  7. loading
  8. swarming
Verb
  • This is an impressive chip, cramming nearly 100 billion transistors onto a piece of silicon roughly the size of a fingernail.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • The trip took 76 days, with van Dongen splitting time between hours on his bike and cramming into an RV in parks and towns around the country.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026
Definition of cramming
Verb
  • And more are flocking to the picturesque country of New Zealand, famous for its landscapes that served as the backdrop for Lord of the Rings and Avatar.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 2 July 2026
  • Wimbledon 2026 is well underway, and the stars are already flocking in droves to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to witness the action firsthand.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 1 July 2026
Definition of flocking
Verb
  • Teams from the two companies have been huddling for months to plan for the melding of the two operations as soon as Paramount receives all of its regulatory approvals.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • Paramount+ is huddling up with the Texas Tech for a docuseries on its football team that is eyed to premiere in time for the 2026 season in the fall.
    — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 29 June 2026
Definition of huddling
Verb
  • The same rules reshaping the car are squeezing the independent aftermarket out of the picture.
    — Sarwant Singh, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Energy prices soared, squeezing Americans already frustrated by the high cost of living.
    — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of squeezing
Verb
  • Light eight lanterns if the British are invading by land, but running late.
    — Evan Allgood, New Yorker, 1 July 2026
  • The court also upheld that the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship for all except in the narrowest of cases, like the children of diplomats and invading soldiers.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
Definition of invading
Verb
  • The excuses that keep piling up The backyard isn’t my first condition.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 July 2026
  • Big Tech’s historic AI outlays, set ‌to top $700 billion this year, are piling pressure on companies to show returns from the technology and offset the rising cost of rolling it out across their businesses.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 6 July 2026
Definition of piling
Verb
  • Cihlar recommends beginners avoid loading up too soon, while men who are already regularly active and lift weights can typically handle a 20- or 30-pound plate from the start.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
  • How to Start Rucking Safely Experts recommend conditioning the body before loading up a pack, especially for men over 40 returning to exercise.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026
Definition of loading
Verb
  • The program will rapidly scale FPV drone production, and swarming technology means one pilot can control multiple drones, amplifying human capabilities rather than replacing them.
    — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • Think your back yard can get buggy in the summer—with mosquitoes, flies, moths, wasps, bees, lightning bugs, crickets, and more swarming, buzzing, and chirping everywhere?
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 June 2026
Definition of swarming

Browse Nearby Words

crowded
crowding
crowd-pleasing
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crowding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crowding. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crowding

Nglish: Translation of crowding for Spanish Speakers

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