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• jam
  jam

  verb (used with object)

  to press, squeeze, or wedge tightly between bodies or surfaces, so that motion or extrication is made difficult or impossible.
• Jam.
  Jam.

  abbreviation

  Jamaica.

jam

¹ American  

[jam] / dʒæm /

verb (used with object)

• jams,
  present (3rd person singular)
• jammed,
  past participle,  past
• jamming
  present participle

1. to press, squeeze, or wedge tightly between bodies or surfaces, so that motion or extrication is made difficult or impossible.

   The ship was jammed between two rocks.

2. to bruise or crush by squeezing.

   She jammed her hand in the door.

3. to fill too tightly; cram.

   He jammed the suitcase with clothing.

4. to press, push, or thrust violently, as into a confined space or against some object.

   She jammed her foot on the brake.

5. to fill or block up by crowding; pack or obstruct.

   Crowds jammed the doors.

6. to put or place in position with a violent gesture (often followed byon ).

   He jammed his hat on and stalked out of the room.

7. to make (something) unworkable by causing parts to become stuck, blocked, caught, displaced, etc..

   to jam a lock.

8. Radio.

   1. to interfere with (radio signals or the like) by sending out other signals of approximately the same frequency.

   2. (of radio signals or the like) to interfere with (other signals).

9. Music. to play (a piece) in a freely improvised, swinging way; jazz up.

   to jam both standard tunes and the classics.

10. Nautical. to head (a sailing ship) as nearly as possible into the wind without putting it in stays or putting it wholly aback.

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verb (used without object)

• jams,
  present (3rd person singular)
• jammed,
  past participle,  past
• jamming
  present participle

1. to become stuck, wedged, fixed, blocked, etc..

   This door jams easily.

2. to press or push, often violently, as into a confined space or against one another.

   They jammed into the elevator.

3. (of a machine, part, etc.) to become unworkable, as through the wedging or displacement of a part.

4. Music. to participate in a jam session.

5. to collaborate informally, freely, and creatively with others.

   Our department was jamming on a customer project and didn't have time to prep a demo for the conference.

6. Slang.

   1. to make good progress; do well.

      Working alone is awesome when I’m jamming on a project that I love.

   2. to thoroughly like or enjoy something.

      The colors came out rather well, but I'm just not jamming on the actual image.

noun

1. the act of jamming or the state of being jammed.

2. a mass of objects, vehicles, etc., jammed together or otherwise unable to move except slowly.

   a log jam; a traffic jam.

3. Informal. a difficult or embarrassing situation; fix.

   He got himself into a jam with his boss.

4. Music.

   1. jam session.

   2. a piece of music.

      On November 18, the 16-year-old star dropped her new jam, marking an evolution in her sound and style.

5. Slang.

   1. something that one particularly likes, enjoys, or does well: Since math is not my jam, I’ll let y’all figure out the rest.

      Seriously, a huge meat patty and garlic fries are pretty much my jam after a day outside.

      Since math is not my jam, I’ll let y’all figure out the rest.

   2. something that one finds pleasant or easy.

      Life isn't all jam for me just now.

6. a contest, meeting, or conference at which people collaborate informally, freely, and creatively.

   People from 158 countries registered for the jam and shared their ideas for action to improve the quality of life in the world’s cities.

jam ² American  

[jam] / dʒæm /

noun

1. a preserve of whole fruit, slightly crushed, boiled with sugar.

   strawberry jam.

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idioms

1. put on jam, to adopt a self-important manner or use affected speech.

Jam. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Jamaica.

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jam ¹ British  

/ dʒæm /

verb

1. (tr) to cram or wedge into or against something

   to jam paper into an incinerator

2. (tr) to crowd or pack

   cars jammed the roads

3. to make or become stuck or locked

   the switch has jammed

4. to activate suddenly (esp in the phrase jam on the brakes )

5. (tr) to block; congest

   to jam the drain with rubbish

6. (tr) to crush, bruise, or squeeze; smash

7. radio to prevent the clear reception of (radio communications or radar signals) by transmitting other signals on the same frequency

8. slang (intr) to play in a jam session

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noun

1. a crowd or congestion in a confined space

   a traffic jam

2. the act of jamming or the state of being jammed

3. informal a difficult situation; predicament

   to help a friend out of a jam

4. See jam session

jam ² British  

/ dʒæm /

noun

1. a preserve containing fruit, which has been boiled with sugar until the mixture sets

2. slang something desirable

   you want jam on it

3. the principle of living for the moment

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Jam. ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Jamaica

2. Bible James

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jam More Idioms  

1. see under get in a bind.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• jammer
  noun
• jamlike
  adjective
• jammy
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• jamming
  present
• jammed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• jam
  simple
• jams
  simple
• have jammed
  perfect
• has jammed
  perfect
• am jamming
  progressive
• are jamming
  progressive
• is jamming
  progressive
• have been jamming
  perfect progressive
• has been jamming
  perfect progressive

Past

• jammed
  simple
• had jammed
  perfect
• was jamming
  progressive
• were jamming
  progressive
• had been jamming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will jam
  simple
• will have jammed
  perfect
• will be jamming
  progressive
• will have been jamming
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of jam¹

First recorded in 1700–10; apparently imitative; cf. champ ¹, dam ¹

Origin of jam²

First recorded in 1730–40; perhaps special use of jam ¹ (in the sense “to bruise or crush by squeezing”)

Explanation

To jam is to squeeze something tightly into a space, the way your friends might jam themselves into your tiny car. You might have to jam an extra row of books onto your bookshelf when you run out of room. Another way to jam is to get stuck, and a jam can be a dense bunch of stuck people or things, like a traffic jam. If you play a musical instrument, you might jam, or casually improvise, with other musicians. And of course the jam you spread on your toast is a delicious, sweet fruit preserve.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jam Jam. jams jammed jamming

We’d jam at the end or try all these things to make it sound different.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

If you put me in a jam session at a musician’s party, that would be my worst nightmare.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

That photo of the traffic jam went viral and sparked a conversation about dangerous overcrowding on the world's tallest peak.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

The risk of relying on one artery for so much trade was underscored after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when the bridge was temporarily closed and trucks idled in a miles-long traffic jam.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

All I knew was that they had stopped suddenly and that I had to jam down on the brakes to keep from running over them.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

“We’re definitely taking security extremely serious at Kelce Jam. You’ll definitely feel safe being there.”

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 2, 2024

“It’s not going to stop anytime soon – especially with Kelce Jam. I think this will be the nail-in-the-coffin for the 2022 season.”

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 4, 2023

“If you don’t have chemistry, you can’t win Peach Jam. It’s impossible.”

From New York Times ● Jul. 30, 2014

I feel like that’s kind of how it is with music, most people are like, “Oh my God, Nirvana. Pearl Jam. Soundgarden.”

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 30, 2014

“They didn’t listen, Jam. I tried to tell them, and they didn’t listen.”

From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi

Traffic jams dominate headlines and social media, pushing authorities to keep vehicles moving.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

I ping-ponged from soft cheeses to eggs and squash, then past a gelato cart and a table crowded with jams, pepper jellies and a milk carton filled with VHS tapes.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

Frederic Tavitian, a 70-year-old retiree, who lives about 50 kilometres away, said it took him about four hours to get to the shelter because of the traffic jams.

From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026

Hostess donuts and cupcakes, it turned out, are surprisingly unlike Smucker jams, peanut butter and coffee.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Which left Nan to bottle the trader’s jams by herself Except she didn't finish.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Late in the season, he jammed his left elbow sliding into home plate, jarring loose some bone chips.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

The Covid lockdowns compounded the problem, disrupting maintenance routes and collections while leaving many viewers jammed or out of service.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026

The avenue is jammed on weekends, a rare artery of late-night action surrounded by streets abandoned to stray dogs as midnight approaches.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

David was one of five children; a tight-knit, loving unit jammed into a tiny terrace in Bradford.

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

Ayanna put Gum Baby down, and, with a promise to talk later, dashed to the rear and jammed her staff into a knothole.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

Starlink connectivity and last-mile navigation algorithms help Ukrainian pilots reach their targets despite Russian jamming.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Their presence gives “The Terminal Crew of Dudes” an intimacy that feels less like a comedy special and more like friends jamming and trying to make each other laugh.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

In September, the Army plans to simulate electronic jamming and other battlefield conditions in Ukraine at Camp Grayling in Michigan, giving drone and counterdrone companies a chance to prove their equipment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

London also announced it will share with Kyiv the intellectual property behind a new battle-tested electronic jamming capability it has dubbed "Stone Cloak".

From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026

He swept his way into the back room, jamming the straw broom into nooks and crannies he had already swept clean.

From "The Contender" by Robert Lipsyte