crowd 1 of 2

1
as in throng
a great number of persons or creatures massed together a huge crowd of fans was on hand to greet the returning World Series champions

Synonyms & Similar Words

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crowd

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to stuff
to fit (people or things) into a tight space crowded all the boats into the harbor before the storm struck

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in to flock
to move upon or fill (something) in great numbers cars crowded the roads over the long holiday weekend

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun crowd differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of crowd are crush, horde, mob, and throng. While all these words mean "an assembled multitude," crowd implies a close gathering and pressing together.

a crowd gathered

Where would crush be a reasonable alternative to crowd?

The words crush and crowd are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, crush emphasizes the compactness of the group, the difficulty of individual movement, and the attendant discomfort.

a crush of fans

When might mob be a better fit than crowd?

While in some cases nearly identical to crowd, mob implies a disorderly crowd with the potential for violence.

an angry mob

How do throng and horde relate to one another, in the sense of crowd?

Both throng and horde suggest movement and pushing.

a throng of reporters
a horde of shoppers

Examples 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 crowd
Noun
Poor Al Wehda’s average crowd, if that is the right word, is 656. Matt Slater, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024 Hemmed in by soldiers, a crowd has assembled in the courtyard of a grand building festooned with evil-looking red banners to cheer the arrival of Prescott, now an adult. Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
Thousands of citizens and journalists crowded outside the gates of the National Assembly, while a phalanx of military special-forces officers, toting rifles, broke through windows to get inside. E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2024 As if your local Trader Joe’s wasn’t already crowded enough, your next visit could be even more snug, as the grocery chain’s new collapsible tote bag has gone viral—and is selling out quickly. Chris Morris, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for crowd 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crowd
Noun
  • December and January see throngs of orcas and humpbacks arriving and penguin chicks hatching.
    Kerry Spencer, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Dec. 2024
  • In a dramatic scene, South Korean lawmakers worked their way through throngs of protesters and military vehicles to gather in the National Assembly building during the middle of the night, where members of the body who were present unanimously voted to end martial rule.
    Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 3 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • This giving system would research what the median household income was for your community and only spend up to that amount.
    Shane Enete, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
  • There was no room in its mission for the larger story of the experience of the Black laborers or for the nuanced images of life in Black communities that make up most of Joseph’s catalogue.
    April White, JSTOR Daily, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Bozzo leveled criticisms at the current city government, arguing for more collaboration between officials and the populace.
    Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2024
  • The public can’t handle the truth Recent political shows have settled into a mode that suggests the proletariat is, well, dumb — think of how The Regime depicts the populace of its unnamed country cheering for Kate Winslet’s mustard-fetishizing autocrat.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The classic cheesesteak here is stuffed to the max inside a soft yet sturdy roll, topped with cheese whiz and onions.
    Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Jake's Famous Crawfish Instead of stockings full of trinkets, Jake's is stuffing petrale sole with crab meat on Christmas Eve and the day itself.
    Kale Williams, Axios, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • By Chad de Guzman December 6, 2024 4:45 AM EST Every five years around November and December, hundreds of thousands to millions of Hindus flock to a temple in southeastern Nepal, next to the country’s border with India, in a tradition that has sparked both reverence and controversy.
    Chad de Guzman, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024
  • Over the past year, tweens and teens have flocked to Sephora to buy popular skincare products, including some for adults and others with a high price tag.
    Chaunie Brusie, RN, Parents, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • They are huddled together in these pictures, unaware that 25 years down the line, their collective energy would be palpable off the page.
    Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 10 Dec. 2024
  • The turkeys were huddled in the sun on a different field across the farm.
    Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 4 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • In a test held in the Gulf of Mexico in 2017, several Warthogs fired at a swarm of invading armed boats, while in September 2023 two Warthogs conducted a combat air patrol in the Gulf of Oman.
    Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
  • But this week, the company unveiled an attack drone with a 50-mile range, capable of hunting in swarms and destroying armored vehicles.
    Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The Survivor producers always throw a bunch of twists out there.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Google has worked to bring as many features as possible into the model itself, rather than run a bunch of individual and siloed products, in order to be able to do more with Gemini in more places.
    David Pierce, The Verge, 11 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near crowd

Cite this Entry

“Crowd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crowd. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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