crowded
Americanadjective
-
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
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."
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.
Two years after watching his mother hobble with a cane through crowded Dubrovnik, Croatia, Jamie Lafferty was on a far more rugged trip with her.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
The explosion of arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents has crowded detention centers nationwide, leaving tens of thousands of families to navigate a complex immigration landscape.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
More CMOs are beginning to realize how much monikers can matter in a crowded marketplace, according to Barrett.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
One study found that the birds are forced to move higher in the mountains as their natural habitat in the alpine meadows above the tree line get crowded.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
“What's to miss? It was very crowded on my mom’s back. Didn’t smell so good.”
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
