cramming

Definition of crammingnext
present participle of cram
1
as in squeezing
to fit (people or things) into a tight space tried to cram one more book into the backpack

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2
3
as in gorging
to fill with food to capacity one of those eating contests in which competitors attempt to cram themselves with as many hot dogs as they can in three minutes

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4
as in inhaling
to swallow or eat greedily the thoughtless guest crammed a dinner that had taken hours to prepare

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cramming Bring a lightweight coat with big pockets, and start cramming stuff into them. Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026 Instead of using an oversized crock or cramming utensils into drawers and making a mess, try hanging them on the wall. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2026 However, Wittmann cautions against cramming one’s day planner with novel experiences as a means of seizing (and holding on to) the day. Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 8 Apr. 2026 With referees increasingly tolerant of grappling inside the six-yard box, more teams are deliberately cramming players around opposition goalkeepers, blocking their movements and attacking the space around them rather than the ball itself. Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026 Spreading protein across breakfast, lunch and dinner also works better than cramming it into one meal. Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026 The plush red seats of the Concertgebouw's main auditorium are occupied by students cramming for upcoming exams and finishing dissertations as classical music fills the hall. ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026 Which is exactly why Paradise’s increasingly disruptive flirtations with time travel feel frustrating on a structural level, like the show is cramming another puzzle box inside the puzzle box. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026 Buchanan, unaware of the extent of Mayne’s star power, picked up the roughly 6-foot-4 Pritzker Prize-winner from the airport, cramming him into her Nissan Sentra. Trevor Bach, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cramming
Verb
  • From truckers to commuters, gasoline prices are squeezing budgets across the country.
    Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The university is scheduled to replace the turf in July, squeezing into a tight window of summer events.
    Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • It’s expected that the Chargers will shift Slaughter to left guard, filling one of their most pressing needs on the second day of the three-day draft.
    Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
  • His music has spanned genres and mediums, with the composer filling various roles, but its through line is its sense of the uncanny and Lopatin’s understanding of how warping sonic textures can tap into surreality.
    Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • And all those who find the Dodgers’ gorging offensive also tend to overlook that their spending provides real benefits as well.
    Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
  • Of all the schemes that humans have devised to keep sea lions from gorging on the salmon of the Columbia River basin, none has worked for long.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • For breathwork, Yasinksi recommends inhaling for four seconds, pausing for four seconds at the top, and then exhaling slowly.
    Lesly Gregory, AJC.com, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Those with asthma or other breathing illnesses are more sensitive to hydrogen sulfide and may have trouble breathing after inhaling it.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Throughout the weekend, some fans have shared videos showing audience members turning their screenings into full-on dance parties, jamming along to Jackson's classic songs in the theater.
    Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
  • John Carlson recovered one shot and attempted another, jamming the puck low for Granlund.
    Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • There is one thing that can ruin your Euro-trip, though, and that’s not packing efficiently.
    Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Guro Reiten is sitting inside her apartment in Norway, in between spending time with her 5-month-old son and packing her life away.
    Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Catastrophic wildfires are not new for Chile, but this year’s stand out for how fast the flames spread, devouring an average of nearly 25 acres every minute.
    Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026
  • When Bastian ducks into a bookstore and starts reading a book about a malevolent force (the Nothing) devouring the realm of Fantasia, the narrative comes to life.
    David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Edgar Quero got hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Andrew Benintendi.
    LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
  • But there’s also an imbalance created with loading up that Cirelli line, which is that Point’s unit is far less dangerous.
    Arpon Basu, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cramming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cramming. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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