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Synonyms

traffic jam

American  

noun

traffic jams plural
  1. jam.


traffic jam British  

noun

  1. a number of vehicles so obstructed that they can scarcely move

"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

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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.

A circulation pattern over Europe is creating "the equivalent of a traffic jam in the atmosphere which locks in heat", Samantha Burgess from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, told AFP.

From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026

The aerial shot of a traffic jam in ’70s Manhattan looks like some fastidious kid’s Matchbox collection.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026

"But we don't yet know whether the action that starts the ridge just isn't happening or whether the traffic jam afterward isn't happening," he said.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026

Fleeing patrons seemed to have caused a traffic jam while crossing a nearby street from the mall.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 28, 2025

They found him sitting on his balcony, watching a traffic jam.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

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