Congestion: meaning, definitions and examples

This term is commonly used to describe a situation where there is an excessive accumulation, often referring to traffic or medical contexts such as nasal congestion.

• The city is working on solutions to reduce traffic congestion during rush hours.
• He couldn't go to work today due to severe nasal congestion.

This is used to describe a complete or partial obstruction in a passage or vessel, common in both medical and mechanical contexts.

• The doctors had to operate to remove the blockage in his artery.
• There is a blockage in the pipe that's causing the sink to overflow.

This term often refers to something that physically blocks a path or an action, used in both general and legal contexts.

• The road was closed due to an obstruction caused by fallen trees.
• The defendant was charged with obstruction of justice.

Used to describe a situation where movement or progress is halted due to a physical obstruction, frequently used for traffic or mechanical issues.

• We were stuck in a jam for over two hours on the highway.
• The printer isn't working because there is a paper jam.

Used to describe situations where there is too much traffic or too many people in a particular space, often leading to delays and discomfort.

• There is heavy congestion on the highway during rush hour
• The city has implemented measures to reduce congestion in public areas

Typically refers to situations where people or objects are packed tightly together in a space, often causing discomfort and lack of mobility. It can be used more broadly than 'congestion'.

• Crowding in the subway can make it hard to get on and off trains
• The event was cancelled due to fears of crowding in the venue

Refers to a situation where the number of people in a specific area exceeds the capacity of the environment, leading to negative effects such as resource depletion and environmental degradation.

• Overpopulation in urban areas is causing serious issues like pollution and housing shortages
• Efforts to control overpopulation have become a major focus of government policies

Specifically describes a situation where a network of intersecting streets is so filled with vehicles that no movement is possible. Mostly used in the context of traffic.

• An accident on the main road caused gridlock for hours
• Gridlock during rush hour is a common problem in big cities

Use this word to describe a situation where there are too many people or vehicles in a certain area, causing delays or difficulty moving.

• There is a lot of congestion in the city center during rush hour
• The concert caused major congestion around the stadium

This word works well when describing a system or person that has more tasks or load than it can handle efficiently. It often has a negative connotation.

• The server crash was due to an overload of users trying to log in simultaneously
• She felt an overload of responsibilities at work

Use this word to describe a narrow or obstructed section of a road or process where things get slowed down considerably.

• The construction work created a bottleneck on the highway
• The approval process has become a bottleneck for project completion

This term is best for describing a long line of vehicles that are not moving freely because of congestion on the road.

• I got stuck in a traffic jam on my way to the airport
• Traffic jams are common during the morning commute