Synonyms

crowded

American

[krou-did] / ˈkraʊ dɪd /

adjective

filled to excess; packed.
filled with a crowd.

crowded streets.
uncomfortably close together.

crowded passengers on a bus.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of crowded

First recorded in 1605–15; crowd ¹ + -ed ²

Explanation

Places that are crowded are packed with people. During rush hour, you might decide not to get onto a crowded subway car, but wait for the next one, hoping it will be less crowded. Rock concerts are often crowded, and sometimes classrooms are so crowded with students that it makes the teacher's job harder. Tokyo is a crowded city, especially compared to Dubuque, Iowa, and shopping malls generally become crowded on the weekend before Christmas. These places are all crowded with people, but you could also say that a field is crowded with cows or your friend's house is crowded with cats. The Old English root is crudan, "to press."

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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 part, it may be safety in crowded airspace.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

Global fund managers show record equity allocations and reduced cash, yet nearly three quarters see “long global semiconductors” as the most crowded trade.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

A crowded trade could be about to slam into reverse.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

“A couple of sights have been crowded — those were the really touristy spots. But other than that, it has been beautiful,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

Now with a child on each knee and ten more crowded close, he drew from another pocket his heavy cross-shaped winding key, each of the four ends shaped for a different size clock.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023