crowded
crowded
Pronunciation
Crowded: /ˈkraʊdɪd/
kraʊd:
/k/ (voiceless velar stop)
/r/ (voiced alveolar approximant)
/aʊ/ (diphthong, as in "cow")
/d/ (voiced alveolar stop)
ɪd:
/ɪ/ (near-close near-front unrounded vowel, as in "kit")
/d/ (voiced alveolar stop)
Word Form Variations
The word "crowded" is primarily an adjective, but its root word "crowd" has several variations:
Noun:
Singular: crowd
Plural: crowds
Verb:
Base form: crowd
Third person singular present: crowds
Past tense: crowded
Past participle: crowded
Present participle: crowding
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective:
Definition 1: Filled to or beyond capacity, especially with people or things, leaving little or no room for movement or comfort.
Synonyms: packed, crammed, teeming, congested, overflowing, dense, full
Antonyms: empty, spacious, vacant, deserted, unpopulated, sparse
Definition 2: Characterized by a large number of elements or details that are closely positioned, creating a sense of visual or spatial busyness.
Synonyms: busy, cluttered, dense, intricate, complex
Antonyms: minimalist, sparse, simple, uncluttered, plain
Verb (Past Tense/Past Participle of "to crowd"):
Definition 1: (Past Tense) To have gathered or pushed together in a large number, typically into a confined space.
Synonyms: gathered, clustered, converged, swarmed, massed, pushed
Antonyms: dispersed, scattered, spread, separated, left
Definition 2: (Past Participle) Having been filled with a large number of people or things, often to an uncomfortable degree.
Synonyms: packed, congested, filled, crammed, overwhelmed
Antonyms: emptied, cleared, unburdened, relieved
Examples of Use
Books: "The small, dimly lit pub was crowded with an eclectic mix of students, artists, and elderly locals, their conversations a low hum against the clinking of glasses." (From The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, August 2020)
Newspapers: "City officials are exploring solutions to ease traffic in the crowded downtown core, where rush hour often brings gridlock." (The Daily Herald)
Online Publications: "Despite the crowded field of streaming services, new platforms continue to emerge, hoping to carve out their niche." (TechCrunch)
Film/Television (Descriptive Use): In a scene from the film Parasite, the family's small, basement apartment is depicted as crowded and cluttered, emphasizing their living conditions. (Bong Joon-ho, May 2019)
Music (Lyrics): "It's a crowded room, but I only see you." (From the song "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi, March 2019)
Video Games (Dialogue/Description): In the game Cyberpunk 2077, characters often comment on the crowded streets and bustling night markets of Night City. (CD Projekt Red, December 2020)
General Public Discourse: "After the concert, the train station was incredibly crowded, so we decided to walk home instead." (Heard in conversation)
Public Discourse (Social Media): "Avoid the beach this weekend; it's going to be super crowded with the good weather." (Tweet)
10 Quotes Using Crowded
"Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded." (Yogi Berra)
"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion." (Henry David Thoreau)
"There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded." (Mark Twain)
"There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded." (Princess Diana)
"It's never crowded along the extra mile." (Wayne Dyer)
"Your inner voice is the voice of divinity. To hear it, we need to be in solitude, even in crowded places." (A. R. Rahman)
"In a crowded marketplace, fitting in is a failure." (Seth Godin)
"The ladder of success is never crowded at the top." (Napoleon Hill)
"Not in the clamor of the crowded street, not in the shouts and plaudits of the throng, but in ourselves, are triumph and defeat." (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
"When a place gets crowded enough to require ID's, social collapse is not far away." (Robert A. Heinlein)
Etymology
The word "crowded" comes from the word "crowd," which has a long history.
The verb "to crowd" (meaning "to press or push") comes from the Old English word "crūdan." This Old English word meant something like "to press, crush, or hurry." It's related to similar words in other Germanic languages, like Dutch "kruien" which also means "to push or shove." This ultimately suggests an even older root, hinting at the idea of "pushing" or "pressing."
The adjective "crowded," meaning "filled with a lot of people or things," first appeared in English around the early 1600s. The Oxford English Dictionary specifically notes its earliest use in 1612. So, you can imagine people back then describing a street or a market as "crowded" if it was packed with people, much like we do today.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Crowded
Crowded out: To be pushed out or displaced due to a large number of other things or people. (e.g., "Small businesses are being crowded out by large corporations.")
Crowded in: To feel enclosed or overwhelmed by too many things or people. (e.g., "The small apartment felt crowded in with all the new furniture.")
A crowded field: A situation or competition with many participants or options. (e.g., "It's a crowded field for the mayoral election this year.")
Crowded market: A market or industry with a large number of competitors. (e.g., "The smartphone industry is a very crowded market.")
Too crowded for comfort: A space or situation that has too many people or things, making it uncomfortable.
Crowded with memories: Full of many past experiences or recollections.
Packed like sardines: (Idiom, using a synonym) Extremely crowded, especially with people in a small space.
Wall-to-wall people: (Idiom, using a synonym) So many people that they fill an entire space.
Bustling with activity: (Phrase, similar effect) Full of energetic and busy movement.
Chock-a-block: (Idiom, using a synonym) Completely full or crowded.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of crowded from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
