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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.

Overcrowding and understaffing have been a problem for years in the city animal shelters, which are chronically underfunded.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2024

Overcrowding has become a major concern in UN emergency shelters in central and southern Gaza, with some far exceeding their capacity.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2024

Overcrowding of livestock and workers promotes the spread of disease among both people and animals, putting us all at risk for future pandemics.

From Scientific American • Jul. 14, 2023

Overcrowding and poor maintenance are responsible for most boat accidents on Nigerian waterways.

From Reuters • Jun. 14, 2023

Overcrowding in the Department had led to the start of double-bunking in maxes a few months before.

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.