packed
Americanadjective
-
filled to capacity; full.
They've had a packed theater for every performance.
-
pressed together; dense; compressed.
packed snow.
-
abundantly supplied with a specified element (used in combination).
an action-packed movie.
adjective
-
completely filled; full
a packed theatre
-
(of a picnic type of meal) prepared and put in a container or containers beforehand; prepacked
a packed lunch
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of packed
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.
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 world is packed with creative people, meanwhile, and new tools make it easy for them to compete.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
King provided just enough material for a speedy feature, and so the series has been packed with extras.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
But crucially, they are modular and can be stacked together, then packed with cameras, sensors, communications equipment or other technology depending on their purpose.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
Epithelial cells are tightly packed into barriers that often need to remain sealed, even while individual cells reshape themselves to remove debris.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 5, 2026
I harnessed the dogs and packed the sled.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
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.
