overcrowd

verb

over·​crowd ˌō-vər-ˈkrau̇d How to pronounce overcrowd (audio)
overcrowded; overcrowding; overcrowds

transitive verb

: to cause to be too crowded

intransitive verb

: to crowd together too much

Examples of overcrowd in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As the population falls, some problems like the high cost of living, or overcrowding in Toyko could begin to ease. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 29 Feb. 2024 Topline Charlie Woods, the 15-year-old son of golf great Tiger Woods, fell short in a PGA Tour pre-qualifier Thursday after a 12-stroke performance on a par-4 hole, several double bogeys and bizarre behavior by fans who’ve been criticized for overcrowding the teenager during his round. Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 As for the other candidate, California has been reducing the number of inmates in its prisons for the past decade, responding both to federal court decrees about overcrowding and changing political attitudes. Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2024 Her efforts have drawn detractors, including neighbors who feared her new Wyeth Reading Room would overcrowd rural roads. Ralph Blumenthal, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2023 Arrange thighs, skin side up, and spread all the ingredients out on the pan so as not to overcrowd. Kitty Greenwald, WSJ, 1 Nov. 2023 Avery said the shelter has begun pulling animals from other Pennsylvania shelters to help relieve some of the stress of overcrowding in those facilities. Cathy Free, Washington Post, 29 Dec. 2023 In 1989, overcrowding at Hillsborough Stadium in the northern city of Sheffield resulted in the deaths of 97 Liverpool soccer fans. Stephen Humphries, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Dec. 2023 Many of those that are look like Hodeida’s al-Thawra hospital on a recent afternoon, its wards and hallways overcrowded, the sidewalks outside filled with people trying to get in. Kareem Fahim, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overcrowd.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of overcrowd was in 1602

Dictionary Entries Near overcrowd

Cite this Entry

“Overcrowd.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overcrowd. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

overcrowd

verb
over·​crowd -ˈkrau̇d How to pronounce overcrowd (audio)
1
: to cause to be too crowded
2
: to crowd together too much
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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