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
-
the state of being overcrowded, esp with with traffic or people
-
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
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.
Instead, it can work alongside them, handling high-capacity data traffic in indoor environments and reducing congestion on radio-based systems.
From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026
Drivers have been advised to set off early in the morning, as congestion is likely to be at its worst from 10:00 BST each day between Thursday and Saturday, and on Easter Monday.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
However, congestion in the Red Sea is emerging as a key bottleneck.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
This large server footprint helps reduce congestion, improve connection stability and makes it easier to find a nearby server.
From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026
The column was well under way, so he swung wide around the village to avoid the worst of the congestion.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
![]()
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.