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View synonyms for jam

verb (used with object)

, jammed, jam·ming.

to press, squeeze, or wedge tightly between bodies or surfaces, so that motion or extrication is made difficult or impossible:
The ship was jammed between two rocks.
to bruise or crush by squeezing:
She jammed her hand in the door.
to fill too tightly; cram:
He jammed the suitcase with clothing.
to press, push, or thrust violently, as into a confined space or against some object:
She jammed her foot on the brake.
to fill or block up by crowding; pack or obstruct:
Crowds jammed the doors.
to put or place in position with a violent gesture (often followed by on ):
He jammed his hat on and stalked out of the room.
to make (something) unworkable by causing parts to become stuck, blocked, caught, displaced, etc.:
to jam a lock.
1. to interfere with (radio signals or the like) by sending out other signals of approximately the same frequency.
2. (of radio signals or the like) to interfere with (other signals).
Music. to play (a piece) in a freely improvised, swinging way; jazz up:
to jam both standard tunes and the classics.
Nautical. to head (a sailing ship) as nearly as possible into the wind without putting it in stays or putting it wholly aback.

verb (used without object)

, jammed, jam·ming.

to become stuck, wedged, fixed, blocked, etc.:
This door jams easily.
to press or push, often violently, as into a confined space or against one another:
They jammed into the elevator.
(of a machine, part, etc.) to become unworkable, as through the wedging or displacement of a part.
to collaborate informally, freely, and creatively with others:
Our department was jamming on a customer project and didn't have time to prep a demo for the conference.
1. to make good progress; do well:
  Working alone is awesome when I’m jamming on a project that I love.
2. to thoroughly like or enjoy something:
  The colors came out rather well, but I'm just not jamming on the actual image.

noun

the act of jamming or the state of being jammed.
a mass of objects, vehicles, etc., jammed together or otherwise unable to move except slowly:
a log jam; a traffic jam.
Informal. a difficult or embarrassing situation; fix:
He got himself into a jam with his boss.
1. a piece of music:
  On November 18, the 16-year-old star dropped her new jam, marking an evolution in her sound and style.
1. something that one particularly likes, enjoys, or does well:
  Since math is not my jam, I’ll let y’all figure out the rest.
  Seriously, a huge meat patty and garlic fries are pretty much my jam after a day outside.
  Since math is not my jam, I’ll let y’all figure out the rest.
2. something that one finds pleasant or easy:
  Life isn't all jam for me just now.
a contest, meeting, or conference at which people collaborate informally, freely, and creatively:
People from 158 countries registered for the jam and shared their ideas for action to improve the quality of life in the world’s cities.

noun

a preserve of whole fruit, slightly crushed, boiled with sugar:
strawberry jam.

abbreviation for

/ dʒæm /

noun

a preserve containing fruit, which has been boiled with sugar until the mixture sets
slang.
you want jam on it
jam today
the principle of living for the moment

/ dʒæm /

verb

tr to cram or wedge into or against something
to jam paper into an incinerator
cars jammed the roads
to make or become stuck or locked
the switch has jammed
troften foll byon
to activate suddenly (esp in the phrase jam on the brakes )
to jam the drain with rubbish
tr to crush, bruise, or squeeze; smash
radio
to prevent the clear reception of (radio communications or radar signals) by transmitting other signals on the same frequency
slang.
intr
to play in a jam session

noun

a crowd or congestion in a confined space
a traffic jam
the act of jamming or the state of being jammed
informal.
a difficult situation; predicament
to help a friend out of a jam

abbreviation for

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Derived Forms

ˈjammer, noun

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Other Words From

jamlike jammy adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of jam2

First recorded in

1730–40;

perhaps special use of jam 1

(in the sense “to bruise or crush by squeezing”)

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Word History and Origins

Origin of jam1

C18: perhaps from

jam 1(the act of squeezing)

Origin of jam2

C18: probably of imitative origin; compare

champ 1

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

put on jam, Australian Slang. to adopt a self-important manner or use affected speech.

More idioms and phrases containing jam

see under get in a bind .

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Example Sentences

Koslow had faced criticism earlier in the summer for serving moldy jam at her restaurant, allegedly taking credit for other people’s recipes, and hiding an illegal kitchen space from the health department.

Many of these worker bees weren’t looking for electronic jams or Gregorian chants.

In early April, during that brief phase when lockdown felt more like an unexplored alien planet than the inescapable traffic jam it soon became, I called Japan’s biggest karaoke operators to see what they made of it all.

That weekend and Monday saw 10-hour traffic jams to cross the border, the Union-Tribune reports.

However, if that is your jam and a wall with a hole in it somewhere awaits you, have at it.

Most Cacophony events were one-off affairs, just enough to jam the culture a bit before moving on.

The rears of planes are becoming hell with smaller, harder seats to jam as many passengers in as possible.

Like Jolly, most of the women raced other motorized vehicles before making it into Monster Jam.

In 2015, Monster Jam will have a fleet of eight female drivers.

When my British husband insisted that what he truly wanted for his birthday was to see a Monster Jam Truck show, I cringed inside.

He became the low-born, petty tradesman, using the language of the hands of his jam factory.

The system would be perfect for the mellowing of port or madeira, but when it is applied to plum and apple jam or, when 18 pr.

I dont think much of this jam pie, complained Chet, holding up a wedge that he had taken from his sisters basket.

A river a hundred feet in width was crossed by a convenient jam of logs and trees.

If anybody else offered him a bigger piece, or more jam, he would very quickly leave me.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023