Words / B2

ohv-uh-KROWD-id/ˌəʊvəˈkraʊdɪd/

Overcrowded means containing too many people or things for the space available: an overcrowded ward; overcrowded housing. Crowded is milder; packed is informal; overpopulated is usually a whole region. An overcrowded ward still needs the occupancy figure. Mix-up: overcrowded vs overclouded; overcrowded vs overcrowding (the noun); do not write overcrowded for a busy street that still meets the capacity figure in the source.

Meaning

Containing too many people or things for the space available.

Examples

• “An overcrowded ward still needs the occupancy figure, not a mood caption.”
• “Overcrowded carriages featured in the survey, which is still a named load — quote passengers per car if given.”

Good to know

an overcrowded ward / prison / train; overcrowded housing. Milder: crowded. Region twin: overpopulated. Noun: overcrowding. Trap: busy but within capacity. Geography, citizenship, and PSHE. Too many for the space — quote occupancy or the load.

Near in meaning

packed, crammed, overfull

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