overcrowd

American

[oh-ver-kroud] / ˌoʊ vərˈkraʊd /

verb (used with or without object)

to crowd to an uncomfortable or undesirable excess.

overcrowd British

/ ˌəʊvəˈkraʊd /

verb

(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

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.

The influx of foreign visitors in December is seen as a positive by many, but some locals complain of price gouging, overcrowding and intense traffic during this period.

From BBC

Their family say the cells are overcrowded, unsanitary and vermin-infested, with inadequate washing facilities and hygiene supplies.

From BBC

France has some of the worst prison overcrowding in Europe, and unions have complained the state is neglecting normal jails as it moves drug-linked criminals into new high-security facilities.

From Barron's

Most Palestinians are staying in tents pitched in overcrowded camps and rubble-strewn streets.

From The Wall Street Journal

It says this is a necessary measure to relieve pressure on a system struggling to cope with overcrowding.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023