congest

verb

con·​gest kən-ˈjest 

congested; congesting; congests

transitive verb

1

: to concentrate in a small or narrow space

2

: to cause an excessive accumulation especially of blood or mucus in (such as an organ or part)

3

: clog

traffic congested the highways

intransitive verb

: to become congested

congestion

kən-ˈjes-chən 

-ˈjesh-

noun

congestive

kən-ˈje-stiv 

adjective

Synonyms

• block
• choke
• clog
• clot
• dam
• gum (up)
• jam
• obstruct
• occlude
• plug (up)
• stop (up)
• stuff

Examples of congest in a Sentence

the usual weekend traffic congested the region's highways

Recent Examples on the Web

Plenty of students at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff are from the Phoenix area, and move-in and graduation weekends can be congested, too. —Miguel Torres, The Arizona Republic, 2 Sep. 2024

Basically, that means your skin cells will shed more quickly, preventing them from congesting your pores. —Jenna Ryu, SELF, 16 Aug. 2024

The streets weren’t congested, the weather was mild, and an infectious sense of pride spread through Southern California. —Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 15 Aug. 2024

That way, any leftover oil or residue won’t congest your skin and trigger breakouts. —Jenna Ryu, SELF, 14 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin congestus, past participle of congerere to bring together, from com- + gerere to bear

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

congest

verb

con·​gest kən-ˈjest 

1

: to cause an excessive accumulation especially of blood or mucus in (as an organ or body part)

2

: to block by filling too full : clog, overcrowd

congested streets

congestion

-ˈjes-chən 

-ˈjesh-

noun