Basic Details
Word: Overcrowding
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Having too many people or things in one place for the space available.
Synonyms: congestion, crowding, overpopulation
How to Spell Overcrowding
Syllables: o - ver - crowd - ing
Tricky part: Crowd is spelt with ow, not ou, and the whole word is closed up. Students write overcrouding or split it as over crowding.
Watch out for: overcrouding, overcroweding, overcrowdding
Memory tip: Over + crowd + ing means too much crowd. The ow in crowd is the ow you cry when someone steps on your foot in a packed train.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Overcrowding on local trains is worst during rush hour.
Example 2: The old prison was closed because of overcrowding.
Example 3: Overcrowding in the classroom made it hard for the teacher to walk between desks.
Fun Fact
Gardeners thin out seedlings because overcrowding makes young plants compete for light and water, and they grow weak.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Only one of these compound words is spelt correctly. Choose it:
a) bottelneck
b) overwelming
c) underpas
d) overcrowding
Show answer
d) overcrowding. Overwhelming has an h after w, underpass ends in ss and bottleneck has bottle, not bottel.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
City planners believe that overcrouding in the old market can be eased by building a wider footbridge and moving the bus stand outside the gate.
a) believe
b) footbridge
c) overcrouding
d) planners
Show answer
c) overcrouding. Crowd is written with ow, the same two letters as in crow.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word overcrowding as used in the sentence:
The hospital wards faced serious overcrowding during the dengue outbreak.
a) cleanliness
b) shortage
c) congestion
d) silence
Show answer
c) congestion. Wards packed with too many patients are congested.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which is the most likely result of overcrowding in a bus?
a) people stand pressed together
b) the driver stops early
c) the fare goes down
d) every seat is left empty
Show answer
a) people stand pressed together
2. A city suffering from overcrowding needs more ____.
a) people and cars
b) dust and smoke
c) space and housing
d) traffic and noise
Show answer
c) space and housing
