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Synonyms

cram

1 American  
[kram] / kræm /

verb (used with object)

crammed, cramming

  1. to fill (something) by force with more than it can easily hold.

    Synonyms:
    overcrowd, compress, squeeze, pack, crowd

  2. to force or stuff (usually followed by into, down, etc.).

  3. to fill with or as with an excessive amount of food; overfeed.

    Synonyms:
    glut

  4. Informal.

    1. to prepare (a person), as for an exam, by having them memorize information within a short period of time.

    2. to acquire knowledge of (a subject) by so preparing oneself.

  5. Archaic. to tell lies to.

verb (used without object)

crammed, cramming

  1. to eat greedily or to excess.

    Synonyms:
    gorge

  2. to study for an examination by memorizing facts at the last minute.

  3. to press or force accommodation in a room, vehicle, etc., beyond normal or comfortable capacity; crowd; jam.

    The whole team crammed into the bus.

noun

  1. Informal. the act of preparing for an exam by memorizing information within a short time period.

  2. an excessively full state.

  3. a dense crowd; throng.

Cram 2 American  
[kram] / kræm /

noun

  1. Ralph Adams, 1863–1942, U.S. architect and writer.

cram 1 British  
/ kræm /

verb

  1. (tr) to force (people, material, etc) into (a room, container, etc) with more than it can hold; stuff

  2. to eat or cause to eat more than necessary

  3. informal to study or cause to study (facts, etc), esp for an examination, by hastily memorizing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act or condition of cramming

  2. a crush

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cram 2 British  
/ kræm /

noun

  1. Steve. born 1960, English middle-distance runner: European 1500 m champion (1981, 1986); world 1500 m champion (1983)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • crammingly adverb
  • well-crammed adjective

Etymology

Origin of cram

First recorded before 1000; Middle English crammen, Old English crammian “to stuff,” akin to crimman “to put in”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It also inspired a Peacock streaming show in which Swedes visit America to counsel people who can’t cram anything more into their closets and cupboards.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

Retailers are joining the race to cram artificial intelligence absolutely anywhere.

From Slate • Feb. 22, 2026

The computing power of chips has increased dramatically over the decades as makers cram them with more microscopic electronic components.

From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025

Add in a row over spitting, Shedeur Sanders making his debut and Aaron Rodgers picking up a worrying injury, there is a lot to cram in this week.

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2025

The only real difference was that I now made half my original salary and was trying to cram everything into a twenty-hour week.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.