congest

B2 Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /kənˈdʒɛst/ UK /kənˈdʒest/ See IPA manual

Freq #385773

Meanings

1

verb
to block or overfill a road, place, or system with too much traffic, too many people, or too much material

Delivery vehicles can congest the narrow street during the morning rush.
2

verb
to become blocked or overfilled so that movement or flow is restricted

The city center tends to congest after major events.
3

verb
to fill a body part with fluid, mucus, or blood and obstruct its normal flow

Seasonal allergies can congest the nasal passages.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to block or overfill a... clog jam overcrowd block

2 verb · to become blocked or... clog jamback up

3 verb · to fill a body part with... block clog

More obstruct

Opposites

clearunblockdecongest

Word family

Forms congested

Derived forms congestabledecongestrecongest

Related forms congestioncongestedcongestive

Etymology

From Latin congestus, the past participle of congerere ('to bring together, heap up'), from con- ('together') + gerere ('to carry'). English developed the senses of accumulating material, obstructing movement, and filling body tissue or passages. The unrelated Irish noun in the raw source is a separate homograph and is excluded here.

Topics

Space, Position & Direction

External links

# congest

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /kənˈdʒɛst/
**IPA (UK):** /kənˈdʒest/
**Frequency rank:** 385773

## Meanings
1. to block or overfill a road, place, or system with too much traffic, too many people, or too much material
2. to become blocked or overfilled so that movement or flow is restricted
3. to fill a body part with fluid, mucus, or blood and obstruct its normal flow

## Examples
- Delivery vehicles can congest the narrow street during the morning rush.
- The city center tends to congest after major events.
- Seasonal allergies can congest the nasal passages.

## Synonyms
- clog
- jam
- overcrowd
- block
- obstruct

## Antonyms
- clear
- unblock
- decongest

## Derived Forms
- congestable
- decongest
- recongest

## Related Forms
- congestion
- congested
- congestive

## Etymology
From Latin congestus, the past participle of congerere ('to bring together, heap up'), from con- ('together') + gerere ('to carry'). English developed the senses of accumulating material, obstructing movement, and filling body tissue or passages. The unrelated Irish noun in the raw source is a separate homograph and is excluded here.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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