overcrowded

1 of 2

adjective

over·​crowd·​ed ˌō-vər-ˈkrau̇-dəd How to pronounce overcrowded (audio)
Synonyms of overcrowdednext
: crowded or filled to excess : having too many people or things
overcrowded streets/cities/classrooms
living in overcrowded conditions
… having an overcrowded space can make it hard for buyers to … visualize their own belongings in the space, said Los Angeles-based designer Francesca Grace.—Jennifer Tzeses
… some 5 million workers commute for up to three hours on trains so overcrowded that there seem to be as many passengers hanging on to the outside of the carriages as there are inside.—Ismail Merchant

overcrowded

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of overcrowd

Examples of overcrowded in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
In June, there were clashes between protesters and police in Brussels over dissatisfaction with the tuition hike and other issues with the French-language education system, including overcrowded classrooms and difficulty accessing study materials. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Protesters say years of underinvestment have left French schools overcrowded, run-down, under-resourced and under-staffed. — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026 Too many schools are overcrowded, lack adequate mental health professionals and lack arts and extracurricular programming. — Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 High school students, meanwhile, have called for a fix to staff shortages, overcrowded classrooms and crumbling school infrastructure. — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overcrowded

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of overcrowd

First Known Use

Adjective

1725, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overcrowded was in 1725

Rhymes for overcrowded

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Browse Nearby Words

overcrowd
overcrowded
overcrust
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Cite this Entry

“Overcrowded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overcrowded. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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