chockablock
Americanadjective
-
extremely full; crowded; jammed.
a room chockablock with furniture and plants.
-
Nautical. having the blocks drawn close together, as when the tackle is hauled to the utmost.
adverb
Usage
What does chockablock mean? Chockablock describes something, such as a space, that is filled to the utmost or extremely crowded. Chockablock can describe anything that is literally filled to capacity, such as a room or a container, as in All the bins in the store were chockablock with sale items. Frequently, it is used to describe a space filled with people, as in The museum’s special exhibit of mummies was chockablock with people. Chockablock can also be used figuratively to mean filled throughout, as in You’ll always find a place to eat because this neighborhood is chockablock with restaurants. Chockablock also means in a crowded manner, as in After the concert let out, the subway trains were filled chockablock with concertgoers. In nautical terms, chockablock means having the blocks drawn close together. In this situation, a block is a case that contains pulleys. On large ships, multiple blocks will often be used in tandem to create a pulley system known as a block and tackle, which is used to lift heavy weights or to open large sails with the use of a single rope or mechanism. When these blocks are pulled together so that they are touching while holding their full load, they are described as being chockablock. Example: This place is chockablock with people. I think we should go somewhere else.
Etymology
Origin of chockablock
First recorded in 1790–1800; chock (in the sense wedge) + -a- connnecting vowel that is probably a reduced form of and + block (in the sense solid mass of wood)
Explanation
When something is chockablock, it's full or stuffed with something. Cities are chockablock with people. This humorous-looking, rhyming word means jam-packed. A library is chockablock with books. Malls are chockablock with stores and teenagers. Concerts for popular bands are chockablock with screaming, adoring fans. The beach is chockablock with people during the summer. The opposite of chockablock would be empty, sparse, or deserted. Originally, this was a nautical word for pulley blocks that were touching each other, which led to it meaning crowded and dense. Chockablock means about the same as "chock full."
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.
As the Supreme Court works through its busiest month, its docket is chockablock with tough cases on modern-day problems.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
On the west side, the street along the harbor is chockablock with venues catering to tourists and daytrippers come to enjoy the pier and small beaches.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026
Mori properties are chockablock with amenities, but they are not necessarily spacious or affordable.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 5, 2023
Shush is a hillside of chockablock houses beneath a salt white limestone bluff.
From New York Times ● Apr. 20, 2022
A forehold chockablock and whale line and irons.
From The Ice Pilot by Henry Leverage
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.
