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.

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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.

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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

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noun

1. the act or condition of cramming

2. a crush

Cram ² British  

/ kræm /

noun

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

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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

In Tyre's old city, people are crammed into a Christian district that has not been ordered to evacuate, and into a few schools.

From Barron's

The framed photo of César Chávez and Dolores Huerta sits in my personal office on a bookshelf crammed with volumes about California and the American West.

From Los Angeles Times

She and their four American-born children gave up their house and crammed into a relative’s place.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

In fact, I felt like a student who has crammed for a difficult exam and then is tested on only the most elementary material.

From Literature

Related Words

• crowd
• load
• overcrowd
• pack
• ram
• shove
• squeeze
• stuff
• wedge