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Synonyms

congested

British  
/ kənˈdʒɛstɪd /

adjective

  1. crowded to excess; overfull

  2. (of an organ or part) loaded or clogged with blood

  3. (of the nose) blocked with mucus

"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

Explanation

If you are having trouble breathing, you keep sneezing, and your head feels like it might explode, you may very well be congested. In other words, fluid may have built up in your sinuses and your lungs. Being congested is a typical but very unpleasant symptom of the common cold. This adjective literally means “clogged,” “overcrowded,” or “overfull.” Congested is also used to describe arteries that are clogged, cities that are overpopulated, and roads that are full of traffic.

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Vocabulary lists containing congested

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.

See Examples For:

That drama led to a congested 10-athlete final - but, despite Briton Jemma Reekie's best efforts, there only ever appeared three contenders for gold.

From BBC Aug. 14, 2026

“In areas where cellular coverage is weak or towers are congested, Starlink still has a major advantage, but this is a constantly evolving side of the business.”

From MarketWatch Aug. 7, 2026

Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can cause severe dizziness, ringing in the ears, hearing loss and ears feeling congested, according to the NIH.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 10, 2026

Today, Sanghvi said, many members are drawn less by the networking than by subsidized meals, expansive sports facilities and green space in the middle of an increasingly congested city.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 10, 2026

It wasn’t far from the truth; crying had left: her congested.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

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