Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

overcrowding

British  
/ ˌəʊvəˈkraʊdɪŋ /

noun

  1. a state of being filled with more people or things than is desirable; congestion

"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

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.

While the ducks now have new homes, officials said the investigation into overcrowding conditions at the original property is ongoing.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

Daily capacity has been reduced from 68,500 to 66,000 to avoid overcrowding too - although no attendance on the first three days in 2025 topped 56,000.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

Overzealous security guards, higher prices and overcrowding at parties also alienated longtime fans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Detention facilities are seeing more overcrowding and understaffing as the Trump administration ramps up enforcement in the interior of the country, experts said.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026

The overcrowding lent a sense of chaos and volatility.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

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.