congestion
Americannoun
-
overcrowding; clogging.
severe traffic congestion.
-
an excessive or abnormal accumulation of blood or other fluid in a body part or blood vessel.
pulmonary congestion.
noun
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the state of being overcrowded, esp with with traffic or people
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the state of being overloaded or clogged with blood
-
the state of being blocked with mucus
Other Word Forms
- noncongestion noun
- precongestion noun
- supercongestion noun
Etymology
Origin of congestion
From the Latin word congestiō, dating back to 1585–95. See congest, -ion
Explanation
When a driver complains about congestion, she's talking about the cars that are backed up on the highway. When your sneezing friend complains about congestion, he's talking about his stuffed-up nose. Use the noun congestion to talk about over-crowding; this comes up most often when people talk about traffic. If there's unexpected congestion on your route to work, you'll be late. You might also use the word to describe a crush of people: "The congestion in the subway was terrible — we were packed like sardines in there." The medical kind of congestion describes a build up of fluid, especially the kind you feel in your sinuses when you have a bad cold.
Vocabulary lists containing congestion
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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.
In New York and New Jersey, daily commuters are not expected to have to pay more than their typical fares, but they may experience more congestion and delays on match days.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
Years of congestion in the gridlocked metropolis have given rise to a booming sector of motorcycle taxi drivers, weaving through car traffic.
From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026
She said that more taxis in bus lanes was a "step backwards" on addressing traffic congestion and "adds another element of risk" for cyclists.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
However, congestion in the Red Sea is emerging as a key bottleneck.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
She sniffed, amazed at how swiftly congestion could appear.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
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.
