cramped

¹

[ krampt ]

adjective

1. affected with a cramp in a muscle or muscles.

cramped

²

[ krampt ]

adjective

1. confined or severely limited in space:

   cramped closets.

2. 1. (of handwriting) with characters written small and crowded together.
   2. (of a style of writing) hard to understand; crabbed.

cramped

/ kræmpt /

adjective

1. closed in; restricted
2. (esp of handwriting) small and irregular; difficult to read

Other Words From

• crampedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cramped¹

First recorded in 1670–80; cramp ¹ + -ed ³

Origin of cramped²

First recorded in 1670–80; cramp ² + -ed ²

Example Sentences

A raw fable about looking up instead of feeling down, “Bird” shows writer-director Andrea Arnold back in a familiar milieu of cramped youth on the periphery, making do with what little is available, seesawing between explosive anger and playful respite.

From Los Angeles Times

It has outgrown its current base, which is rather cramped and struggles to accommodate its members on the one day a week it has access to premises at the Otley Courthouse arts centre.

From BBC

Instead, the couple rents a cramped back house in Pasadena, with little prospect that they will ever be able to stop working.

From Los Angeles Times

She looked around the cramped quarters.

From Los Angeles Times

The place feels full but not cramped.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crowded
• narrow
• packed
• small
• tiny