congested
Britishadjective
-
crowded to excess; overfull
-
(of an organ or part) loaded or clogged with blood
-
(of the nose) blocked with mucus
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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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.
The large gas tank took up a lot of space, and the engine room ended up very congested.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Driven by a postpandemic influx of ultra-high-net-worth buyers, developers are equipping new luxury towers with rooftop helipads and deep-water docks—allowing residents to bypass Miami’s increasingly congested streets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
The observatory warned people to expect limited parking and congested traffic due to a show scheduled for that night at the Greek Theatre.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Potential compromises: Because there are no major freeways, traffic on surface streets is often quite congested.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
“What if you suffocate?” she once asked when Hanako was congested.
From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata
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.
