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

3

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
Watching Melissa McCarthy’s wonderful Sookie St. James try to serve up a Christmas-y feast for a crowd is the best, as is the sight of the Gilmore girls building snow women and attempting to enjoy a sleigh ride. Emma Specter, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2024 These parties attracted a crowd, and the group used them as an opportunity to finetune their cooking skills. Christine Rousselle, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2024
Verb
Unlike the free servers, these are likely less crowded, which usually means faster speeds and less latency, though this may not always be the case (more on that in our speed testing section below). PCMAG, 23 Oct. 2024 Both races are crowded with multiple candidates, including current and former state lawmakers. Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for crowd 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crowd
Noun
  • For the throngs of fans inside the venue, from the floor area up to the rafters, Saturday night’s show was nothing short of headbanging excitement.
    David Chiu, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
  • The film seems more concerned with what others — the media, the throngs outside the courthouse — expect Joker to be.
    Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • The goal of the Family Place Libraries program is to encourage libraries to be a family-friendly environment and transform them into community centers for literacy, early childhood development, parent education and engagement, family support and community information.
    Barbara D. Hathaway, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
  • The Phoenix Veterans Day Parade brought together service members, veterans, community groups, families and civilians for a morning of gratitude.
    Christopher Howley, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • At almost every moment since May, the election has found a way to demand the near-constant attention of a populace wary of former President Trump, President Biden and Vice President Harris, who are historically unpopular.
    Noah Bressner, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Some notable proportion of the populace will undoubtedly seek mental solace, of which, modern-day generative AI presumably stands ready to help.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The massive main compartment flays open completely near the back panel for easy packing and unpacking, with several other zippered access points for stuffing or pulling layers out on-the-go.
    The Editors, Outside Online, 18 Nov. 2024
  • On an afternoon when sophomore Nunu Agara stuffed the box score, compiling 16 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists, Stanford easily handled Gonzaga, the preseason favorite to win the West Coast Conference.
    Justice delos Santos, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Reagan’s conservative brand of politics appealed to the scores of Floridians who recently flocked to the state and had no ancestral connection to the Democratic Party.
    Allison Mashell Mitchell / Made by History, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
  • For more than 170 years, United States voters have flocked to the polls on the first Tuesday in November to cast their ballots.
    Zach Bradshaw, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Meerkats' cooperation efforts include huddling together for warmth and standing to serve as a safety lookout for the group.
    Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Tongue tingling acidity and huddled tannins that keep this flavor matrix intact.
    Tom Mullen, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024
Noun
  • The next swarm is expected to occur in November 2025, Cooke said.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Getting things in shipshape The story begins with Mario and Luigi going about their day, when Luigi provokes a swarm of bees.
    Josh Broadwell, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • My friend gave me a whole bunch of her little girl’s clothes — such a high volume of items that some still had the tags on.
    Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
  • Wolk herself responded to the controversy by tweeting a bunch, naturally.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Crowd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crowd. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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