crowd 1 of 2

noun

Definition of crowdnext
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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2
as in community
a group of people sharing a common interest and relating together socially the fashionable crowd at the polo tournament

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in populace
the body of the community as contrasted with the elite no national leader was ever more hated by the crowd

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

crowd

2 of 2

verb

ˈkrau̇d How to pronounce crowd (audio)
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
as in to huddle
to gather into a closely packed group everyone crowded around to see the baby being shown off by his proud parents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Example 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
Three fan meetings for SM Entertainment’s trainee group SMTR25 were held in Macau, drawing large crowds with robust merchandise sales. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026 Finches and sparrows crack into seeds with sturdy bills, while chickadees, titmice and nuthatches are more of a grab-and-go crowd, snatching a seed and taking off. — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
The race for the Democratic nomination is fast becoming crowded with a pack of possible rivals for the former Chicago mayor that are polling far higher than him, including Govs. — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 9 Aug. 2026 In a primary field that looks to be crowded by denizens of the party’s left, a credible moderate could win the nomination and, if current polling is accurate, easily defeat a MAGA GOP candidate. — Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crowd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crowd
  1. throng
  2. community
  3. populace
  4. stuff
  5. flock
  6. huddle
  7. swarm
  8. bunch
Noun
  • The defendant and his legal team declined to speak with a throng of reporters outside the courthouse.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Right in the middle of cheering, reveling masses was MARTA — a connective system of veins that efficiently moved the happy throngs.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of throng
Noun
  • Sapelo Island’s lone residential community is known as Hogg Hummock.
    — Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Thanks to an upswell of community support and corporate sponsors, the gallery has moved out of its temporary space on Richmond Street West and will be moving into a permanent space at 19 Brock Avenue.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of community
Noun
  • This is where the irrationality of antisemitic conspiracy gains no purchase among a reasoning and pragmatic populace; where government is led by people who grasp, and embrace, the seriousness of their responsibilities.
    — Rory Lancman, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Since the 1700s, Jamaica’s populace has been dominated by the descendants of African slaves.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of populace
Verb
  • Take one scroll through his Instagram account, which shows off photos of trotters (pig feet) stuffed with sweetbreads (animal pancreas) and Alsatian headcheese (a mold made of pig scraps, usually from the animal’s head).
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Reducing exposure requires multifactor authentication, credential-stuffing protection, anomaly detection, and clear customer notification and recovery processes.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stuff
Verb
  • As more and more people flock to the parks, overcrowding has begun to cause harm to the land’s natural resources, disrupting the delicately balanced ecosystem that makes the place so special.
    — Meghan Palmer, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Underneath a giant tent with rows of colorful lanterns, crowds of hungry visitors flocked Saturday to stalls dishing out plates of teriyaki chicken, karaage and okonomiyaki pancakes.
    — Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of flock
Verb
  • During the attack, terrified students huddled together under their desks, sobbing as gunshots rang out nearby, video filmed inside a classroom and verified by CNN showed.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The large overhead screens were used mainly to highlight Young and, to a much smaller extent, Johnson — rarely even showing the other three musicians (who were huddled way in the back of the stage).
    — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of huddle
Noun
  • As these dense swarms drift into coastal waters, intake pumps pull them directly into the cooling machinery.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • There is a swarm of people gathered in Jordan Roth’s studio for a couture fitting.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of swarm
Noun
  • While these might be young, growing stars, the most massive of the bunch is a whopping 19 times more massive than our sun.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Tae-ha, who is in Japan on business for Sang-gil, is ambushed by a bunch of men.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of bunch

Browse Nearby Words

crow's nests
crowd
crowded
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crowd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crowd. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crowd

Nglish: Translation of crowd for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crowd

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