There was an enormous traffic jam in downtown Kyoto.
Source: tatoeba (19308)
Jam
/ˈd͡ʒæm/
Synonyms for "jam" (716 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (144)
Noun(16 words)
Verb(7 words)
a mass ofa world ofaboundabound withafterthoughtalbumenarch damarmyarticulateassaultbackstopbafflebafflementbamboo curtainbankbarbarragebarricadebarrierbatten
Show 97 more words
batten downbatterbe alive withbeambearbear uponbear-trap dambearingsbeaver dambedbevybewildermentbindblancmangeblank wallblind alleyblind gutblockblock upblockadeblockageboltbonnyclabberboomboostbotherbottleneckboxbreakwaterbreastworkbrick wallbrimbristle withbuckbucklebufferbulkheadbullbulldozebulwarkbumpbump againstbunchbungbuntbureaucratic delayburst withbuttbutt againstbutterbuttoncandycasecatchcaulkcecumchargechinkchockchokechoke offchoke upchokingchoking offcircumstanceclabberclaspcleatclipclogclog upcloseclose offclose tightclose upcloudclusterclutchcluttercofferdamcohuecomfitcompactcomplicationcompotecompressconcentratecondenseconditionconfectionconfectioneryconfirmconfitureconfoundmentconfusioncongestcongestion
Strong matches (214)
Verb(18 words)
conserveconsolidateconstipateconstipationconstrainconstrictcorkcornercornstarchcostivenesscovercoveycramcrawl withcreamcreep withcrowdcrunchcrushcul-de-sac
Show 139 more words
curddamdam updead enddebardeep-dyedefensedefinedelaydelayagedelayed reactiondelugedensendensifydetentiondifficultydigdikedilemmadiscomposuredisconcertdisconcertednessdisconcertiondisconcertmentdisturbanceditchdogdouble takedoughdovetaildraggingdrenchdrivedrown outearthworkegg whiteelbowembankmentembarrassing positionembarrassmentembedembolismembolusengraftengraveenigmaentrenchestablishestateetchfencefillfill to overflowingfill upfine how-do-you-dofine kettle of fishfixflightflockflocksfloodfootingforcefoulfoundfreightfrostinggalaxygategaumgelgelatinglairglazeglopglueglutglutengluttonizegoadgoogookgoopgorgegravity damgreat mogulgroingroundgruelgumbogunkhailhalthang uphang-uphaspheaphell to payhindrancehingehitchhivehobbleholdupholehoneyhookhordehosthot waterhow-do-you-dohurtlehustlehydraulic-fill damicingimbedimbroglioimpactimpasseimpedimentimplantimpressimprintinfarctinfarctioninfixingraininscribeinterimiron curtainjabjam-packjelljell-ojellyjettyjogjogglejoint
Noun(34 words)
Preposition(1 words)
into a corner
Related words (358)
joltjostleladelaglagginglarge amountlatchleaping weirlegionleveeloadloblollylocationlocklodgelogjamlotlotsmaharajamany
Show 270 more words
marmalademashmassmasses ofmeringuemessmilldammitermixmoatmobmodalitymodemogulmolassesmolemorassmoratoriummortisemoundmoussemuchnessmucilagemucusmultiplymultitudemysterynailnestnizamnonplusnudgenumbersobstacleobstipateobstipationobstructobstructionoccludeoutroaroutshoutoverburdenoverchargeoverfeedoverfilloverflow withoverladeoverloadoverpoweroverstuffoverweightoverwhelmpackpadpangpanoplypappaperasserieparapetparlous straitspasspastepausepegperplexityperturbationpicklepile drivepinpinchplaceplantplightplugplug uppluralitypokeporridgeportcullispositionposturepotherpredicamentpreservepresspretty passpretty picklepretty predicamentprintproblemprodpuddingpullulatepullulate withpulppunchpureepushputtypuzzlepuzzlementquagmirequandaryquantitiesquantityquicksandquite a fewrabbetrabbleradiaterajaramram downram inrampartranarankrattlered tapered-tapeismred-taperyreprieverespiteretardanceretardationriddlerivetroadblockrobrock-fill damrootroutruckrunrun againstsatiatesaturatescarfscoresscrapescrewsealing offseatseawallseizesemifluidsemiliquidsendsetset insettlesewshakeshoalshouldershout downshoveshut offshut outshut tightshutter damsituationsizeskewersloughslow upslow-upslowdownslownesssnapsnarlsoaksolidifysoupspatespilespotspreadsquabsquashsqueezesqueeze shutsquishstampstanchstand in the waystandingstaplestarchstatestationstatusstaystay of executionstenchstereotypestewstickstick faststicky messsticky wicketstiflestitchstone wallstopstop upstoppagestopperstopplestowstraitstraitsstranglestrangulatestrangulationstressstrike rootstuffstuff upsuffocatesuperchargesupersaturatesurchargesurfeitsuspensionswampswarmswarm withsweetsweet stuffsweetmeatsweetssyruptacktake roottamptangleteemteem withthrongthrong withthrusttidy sumtie uptie-uptight spottight squeezetightropetime lagtoggletop offtransmittreacletricky spottutti fruttitutti-fruttiunassurednessunholy messupsetwadwaitwallwedgeweightweirwhipped creamwicket damworkworlds ofzipper
Noun(44 words)
Verb(21 words)
mobobstructobstructsobturateoccludeoccludedovercrowdovercrowdspackpackedpilepreserve artpreserve chemical sampleshoehornedsmack into a treesquishesstuckthrongthrongedwad
Show 1 more word
Adjective(3 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: pickle, ram, a mass of, a world of, abound.
- Sentence evidence is available for jam, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, wiktionary, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "jam".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "jam"
Keep "jam" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "jam" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "jam", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "jam" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
39 entriesECMblockbreak upbruiseconserveconservescontusecrowdcrowd togethercut offdifficultnessdifficultydisruptelectronic countermeasuresfood product
Showing 16 of 39 words.
More specific
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
Collocations
9 entriescoin jamdata jamfruit jamjam sessionprinter jamsignal jamstrawberry jamtraffic jamurban gridlock
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
5 entriessimilar
1 entriesTranslations
25 translations across 12 languages.
Bulgarian
1 entries- притесне́ние noun (difficult situation)
Danish
1 entries- knibe noun (difficult situation)
Finnish
2 entries- pinne noun (difficult situation)
- pula noun (difficult situation)
French
1 entries- pétrin noun (difficult situation)
German
2 entries- Klemme noun (difficult situation)
- Patsche noun (difficult situation)
Italian
2 entries- guaio noun (difficult situation)
- pasticcio noun (difficult situation)
Norwegian Bokmål
3 entries- knipe ´ noun (difficult situation)
- trøbbel noun (difficult situation)
- vanskelighet noun (difficult situation)
Portuguese
1 entries- aperto noun (difficult situation)
Russian
1 entries- переплёт noun (difficult situation)
Spanish
4 entries- ajigolón noun (difficult situation)
- aprieto noun (difficult situation)
- apuro noun (difficult situation)
- brete noun (difficult situation)
Swedish
2 entries- knipa noun (difficult situation)
- trubbel noun (difficult situation)
Welsh
2 entries- picil noun (difficult situation)
- strach noun (difficult situation)
Sample sentences
47 total sentences available.
Please hide the blueberry jam where Takako can't see it.
Source: tatoeba (19335)
A rush-hour traffic jam delayed my arrival by two hours.
Source: tatoeba (29742)
Had they left a little earlier, they would have avoided the traffic jam.
Source: tatoeba (31253)
Showing 4 of 47 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "jam"?
Closest matches include pickle, ram, a mass of, a world of, abound.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "jam"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.