as in stitch
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle
I was suddenly awakened by a cramp in my leg
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
an antismoking ordinance that was seen as just another cramp on business by bar owners
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to impede
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
having to constantly entertain guests at the summer cottage was really cramping my writing efforts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 cramp
Judy Koutsky, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Symptoms of UTIs include frequent urination that is painful or burns, bloody urine, low stomach cramps and the need to urinate even after having just gone.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025
Lauren Jones, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2025
In his third season there, while golfing on a trip in Huntsville, Ala., LeBoeuf felt cramping in his calves.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cramp
Noun
Whenever possible, get up and walk the aisle every hour or so to improve circulation, reduce leg cramps, and prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
—Judy Koutsky, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Symptoms of UTIs include frequent urination that is painful or burns, bloody urine, low stomach cramps and the need to urinate even after having just gone.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
On the other hand, dark brown, rich green, or navy, can make a room inadvertently cramped.
—Lauren Jones, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2025
In his third season there, while golfing on a trip in Huntsville, Ala., LeBoeuf felt cramping in his calves.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cramp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cramp
Verb
-
Williams’ Carlos Sainz initially qualified 12th but was handed a three-place grid penalty for impeding Hamilton, causing a shakeup in the order of those who were knocked out in Q2.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Maintaining a vigorous, healthy lawn is a good way to impede weed establishment and problematic perennials like dandelions.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Arbitrary rules shouldn’t hinder deserved recognition.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
-
However, choosing to avoid office politics can seriously hinder your career growth.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Aly Song | Reuters Trump's tariffs on China are already hampering Christmas sales.—
Dan Mangan,Kevin Breuninger,Jeff Cox,Christina Wilkie,Erin Doherty,Ruxandra Iordache,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2025
-
The deep budget cuts at HHS have also hampered the nation’s disease-detection capacity and pandemic preparedness with respect to pathogens such as bird flu, according to experts.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Mariah Carey just pulled a classic mom move by embarrassing her teenage son in front of his friends.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
5 Apr. 2025
-
The leaking was intended to embarrass Bork, whose nomination was ultimately rejected by the U.S. Senate albeit for reasons unrelated to his rental list.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Steer clear of puddles - Driving into puddles or low areas of rainwater can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control. Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Burroughs was fired from the department and charged with making a false police report, obstructing justice, breaking and entering a motor vehicle and possession of heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Looking ahead, Vinh believes the stock could be handicapped by greater competition from Nvidia and a potential slowdown in its China business, as more export restrictions could limit demand for AMD’s chips from Chinese hyperscalers.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2025
-
The failure of boardroom leadership to evolve beyond this status-quo and antiquated mindset which was imposed in 2002 after the financial reporting crisis that spawned the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, fails investors on these issues and handicaps America’s path to the digital future.—
Bob Zukis,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cramp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cramp. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share