cramped

¹ American  

[krampt] / kræmpt /

adjective

1. affected with a cramp in a muscle or muscles.

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cramped ² American  

[krampt] / kræmpt /

adjective

1. confined or severely limited in space.

   cramped closets.

2. 1. (of handwriting) with characters written small and crowded together.

   2. (of a style of writing) hard to understand; crabbed.

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cramped British  

/ kræmpt /

adjective

1. closed in; restricted

2. (esp of handwriting) small and irregular; difficult to read

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Other Word Forms

• crampedness noun

Etymology

Origin of cramped¹

First recorded in 1670–80; cramp ¹ + -ed ³

Origin of cramped²

First recorded in 1670–80; cramp ² + -ed ²

Example Sentences

I made friends, held hands in a circle, mumbled along to “Kumbaya,” and now here I am in the cramped aisle of a commercial jet, traveling by myself like a fancy, mature young woman.

From Literature

I wrote and wrote until my hand cramped up, and then wrote some more.

From Literature

His family moved in with his grandmother, squeezing into a cramped apartment full of aunts, uncles and cousins.

From BBC

The pair, who live in a cramped studio apartment in a crumbling colonial-era building, can’t afford butter or mayonnaise, so breakfast is a piece of plain bread.

From Los Angeles Times

Lots of the scenes take place in cramped elevators and bank vaults.

From BBC

Related Words

• crowded
• narrow
• packed
• small
• tiny