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Synonyms

packed

American  
[pakt] / pækt /

adjective

  1. filled to capacity; full.

    They've had a packed theater for every performance.

  2. pressed together; dense; compressed.

    packed snow.

  3. abundantly supplied with a specified element (used in combination).

    an action-packed movie.


packed British  
/ pækt /

adjective

  1. completely filled; full

    a packed theatre

  2. (of a picnic type of meal) prepared and put in a container or containers beforehand; prepacked

    a packed lunch

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of packed

First recorded in 1770–80; pack 1 + -ed 2

Explanation

Anything that's packed is either tightly compressed or extremely crowded, like the packed auditorium during your school's annual talent show. Use this adjective for things that are squeezed or pressed together, like a packed snowball or a packed cup of brown sugar. It's also useful for talking about overcrowded spaces of any kind, from a packed house at your band's show to a packed calendar that leaves you no time to catch up on your favorite TV show. A packed suitcase, on the other hand, is ready to go but not necessarily overstuffed.

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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.

See Examples For:

Brown said "after a lifetime packed with adventure, at 57-years-old I wanted another epic adventure before I got too old".

From BBC Aug. 23, 2026

Several of the facilities that were hit -- packed full of flammable products -- were completely destroyed.

From Barron's Aug. 23, 2026

Beefed-up body language, brutal action choreography and a soundtrack packed with needle drops do all the talking.

From Salon Aug. 22, 2026

The meat was packed with beefy, buttery and umami flavors, without the iron bite of other steaks.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 22, 2026

I harnessed the dogs and packed the sled.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

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