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Synonyms

overcrowd

American  
[oh-ver-kroud] / ˌoʊ vərˈkraʊd /

verb (used with or without object)

  1. to crowd to an uncomfortable or undesirable excess.

overcrowd British  
/ ˌəʊvəˈkraʊd /

verb

  1. (tr) to fill (a room, vehicle, city, etc) with more people or things than is desirable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of overcrowd

First recorded in 1760–70; over- + crowd 1

Vocabulary lists containing overcrowd

“Refugees: Who, Where, Why” and "Children of War" by Arthur Brice

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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.

Buses are a common mode of transport in India, but operators frequently ignore safety rules and overcrowd vehicles, while the nation had the highest road accident death tolls in the world last year.

From BBC • Oct. 25, 2025

You want all of the toppings and additions to highlight the rice, not overcrowd or overwhelm it.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2025

When it comes to entries, don’t feel that you must overcrowd or overwhelm, in fact, in many instances less is more.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 16, 2024

Then, fill any remaining space with whatever else you plan to serve, making sure not to overcrowd it so that it’s easier for people to cut a piece of brie or slice of chorizo.

From Washington Post • Dec. 21, 2021

The love joy may so overcrowd his life that he sings much and often, but the increase in its amount and character during the mating season seems to proclaim its purpose beyond a doubt.

From The Meaning of Evolution by Schmucker, Samuel Christian

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.