cram

/kɹæm/

//kɹæm// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"cram" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cram” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #24,128 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#24,128
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To press, force, or drive, particularly in filling, or in thrusting one thing into another; to stuff; to fill to superfluity.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

cram vs cry
50% similar
cram vs cum
50% similar
cram vs CSA
0% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for cram
PropertyValue
Headwordcram
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kɹæm/
Letters4
Frequency rank#24,128
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cram” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). cram lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for cram is 4 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kɹæm/. Corpus data places it at rank #24,128 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for cram, with forms such as "carm", "ccram", and "cramm". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "cry", "cum", "CSA", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English crammen, from Old English crammian (“to cram; stuff”), from Proto-West Germanic *krammōn, from Proto-Germanic *krammōną, a secondary verb derived from *krimmaną (“to stuff”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to assemble; collect; gather”… The correct English form is cram, spelled C-R-A-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    To press, force, or drive, particularly in filling, or in thrusting one thing into another; to stuff; to fill to superfluity.
  2. 2
    To fill with food to satiety; to stuff.
  3. 3
    To put hastily through an extensive course of memorizing or study, as in preparation for an examination.
  4. 4
    To study hard; to swot.
  5. 5
    To eat greedily, and to satiety; to stuff oneself.
  6. 6
    To lie; to intentionally not tell the truth.
  7. 7
    To make (a person) believe false or exaggerated tales.

Etymology

From Middle English crammen, from Old English crammian (“to cram; stuff”), from Proto-West Germanic *krammōn, from Proto-Germanic *krammōną, a secondary verb derived from *krimmaną (“to stuff”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to assemble; collect; gather”). Compare Old English crimman (“to cram; stuff; insert; press; bruise”), Icelandic kremja (“to squeeze; crush; bruise”).

This word in other languages

atestar(Español)bourrer(Français)stopfen(Deutsch)entupir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: carm,ccram,cramm,crma,crram,rcam

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cram - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

carm2ccram1cramm1crma2crram1rcam2
Edit distance from "cram"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cram"?
"cram" is spelled C-R-A-M. The IPA pronunciation is /kɹæm/.
What does "cram" mean?
As a verb, "cram" means: To press, force, or drive, particularly in filling, or in thrusting one thing into another; to stuff; to fill to superfluity.
What words are commonly confused with "cram"?
"cram" is commonly confused with "cry", "cum", "CSA". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cram"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cram" is /kɹæm/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "cram"?
From Middle English crammen, from Old English crammian (“to cram; stuff”), from Proto-West Germanic *krammōn, from Proto-Germanic *krammōną, a secondary verb derived from *krimmaną (“to stuff”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to assemble; collec... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “cram”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-R-A-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kɹæm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “cry” - see the side-by-side comparison. cram vs cry
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list