ream

1 of 2

noun

ˈrēm 

1

: a quantity of paper being 20 quires or variously 480, 500, or 516 sheets

2

: a great amount

—usually used in plural

reams of information

ream

2 of 2

verb

reamed; reaming; reams

transitive verb

1

a

: to widen the opening of (a hole) : countersink

b(1)

: to enlarge, shape, or smooth out (a hole) with a reamer

(2)

: to enlarge the bore of (something, such as a gun) in this way

c

: to remove by reaming

2

a

: to press out with a reamer

b

: to press out the juice of (a fruit, such as an orange) with a reamer

3

: cheat, victimize

4

: reprimand

—often used with out

reams out his players so severely

—Alexander Wolff

Synonyms

Noun

• abundance
• barrel
• basketful
• boatload
• bucket
• bunch
• bundle
• bushel
• carload
• chunk
• deal
• dozen
• fistful
• gobs
• good deal
• heap
• hundred
• lashings [chiefly British]
• lashins
• loads
• lot
• mass
• mess
• mountain
• much
• multiplicity
• myriad
• oodles
• pack
• passel
• peck
• pile
• plateful
• plenitude
• plentitude
• plenty
• pot
• potful
• profusion
• quantity
• raft
• scads
• sheaf
• shipload
• sight
• slew
• spate
• stack
• store
• ton
• truckload
• volume
• wad
• wealth
• yard

Verb

• beat
• bilk
• bleed
• cheat
• chisel
• chouse
• con
• cozen
• defraud
• diddle
• do
• do in
• euchre
• fiddle
• fleece
• flimflam
• gaff
• hose [slang]
• hustle
• mulct
• nobble [British slang]
• pluck
• rip off
• rook
• screw
• shake down
• short
• shortchange
• skin
• skunk
• squeeze
• stick
• stiff
• sting
• sucker
• swindle
• thimblerig
• victimize

Examples of ream in a Sentence

Noun

I have reams of paperwork to do before I can leave today

Verb

He got reamed in the press for his comments.

reamed a whole new generation of suckers with a variation of the Ponzi scheme

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Wielding reams of Abel’s private communications — which, with some unscrupulous massaging and creativity, could be sliced, diced, and stripped of context to support a false narrative about them. —Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 21 Mar. 2025

In a Tuesday letter addressed to MTA Chairman Janno Lieber, Duffy demanded reams of information from the transit agency on assaults, fare evasion and subway surfing, as well as the MTA’s efforts to curb those problems. —Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 19 Mar. 2025

Verb

The injunction from Reyes perhaps came as expected after the judge had reamed out two separate DOJ attorneys in two different hearings ahead of issuing it. —Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Mar. 2025

When Greg seems more concerned about when his son can get back on the field than just being there for his scared kid, Javadi reams him out. —Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English reme, from Anglo-French, ultimately from Arabic rizma, literally, bundle

Verb

perhaps from Middle English *remen to open up, from Old English rēman; akin to Old English rȳman to open up, rūm space — more at room

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for ream

• beam
• bream
• cream
• creme
• deem
• dream
• gleam
• meme
• scheme
• scream
• seam
• seem

Kids Definition

ream

1 of 2 noun

ˈrēm 

1

: a quantity of paper that may equal 480, 500, or 516 sheets

2

: a great amount

—usually used in plural

reams of notes

ream

2 of 2 verb

: to shape, make larger, or smooth out with a reamer

Etymology

Noun

Middle English reme "a quantity of paper," from early French reme (same meaning), from Arabic rizma, literally, "bundle"

Verb

probably from Old English rēman "to open up"