A traffic jam is a long line of vehicles that cannot move forward because there is too much traffic, or because the road is blocked by something.
Synonyms: hold-up, jam, congestion, gridlock More Synonyms of traffic jam
traffic jam in British English
noun
a number of vehicles so obstructed that they can scarcely move
Derived forms
traffic-jammed (ˈtraffic-ˌjammed)
adjective
Examples of 'traffic jam' in a sentence
traffic jam
The average traffic jam was six miles long.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The average driver in the capital spends more than 100 hours a year stuck in traffic jams.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Dogs like walks in the park, not dressing up or sitting in traffic jams.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The traffic jams also meant I was able to take in the cabin properly.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
No trip to LA would be complete without sitting in a huge traffic jam.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The action in September 2013 caused a massive traffic jam and was allegedly done to punish a local mayor.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This big freeze is being caused by a traffic jam in the atmosphere.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Heavy traffic jams were reported on nearly all the main motorways as ten million headed to the countryside and beaches.
The Sun (2009)
It is the poem to have in your head when you are stuck in a traffic jam or a holding pattern.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
To get to work despite the traffic jams, parking costs and road rage?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The only place for a mobile is in the car when you are sitting in a traffic jam or if you are involved in an accident.
The Sun (2008)
A traffic jam on its first day delayed proceedings by 45 minutes.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Bring on the red lights, traffic jams, road works!
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
She said that this is preferable to sitting in traffic jams, which makes you wonder why she put up with the commute in previous years.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Our driver is taking us towards the Louvre and there's a huge traffic jam.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
And who would want to spend their free time next to a Thames Valley traffic jam?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Not surprisingly, she often comes into conflict with modern life, from traffic jams at the seaside to computers.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Road pricing has the potential to end traffic jams on our roads, permanently; to make driving a pleasure again.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
THE Court of Appeal has given an important verdict for bikers on overtaking in traffic jams.
The Sun (2006)
The new trial will also establish how wi-fi technology can transmit data directly to passing vehicles, including information about traffic jams and road conditions.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In other languages
traffic jam
British English: traffic jam /ˈtræfɪk dʒæm/ NOUN
A traffic jam is a long line of vehicles that cannot move because there is too much traffic, or because the road is blocked.
American English: traffic jam
Arabic: اِزْدِحَامُ الـمُرُور
Brazilian Portuguese: congestionamento
Chinese: 交通堵塞
Croatian: prometna gužva
Czech: dopravní zácpa
Danish: trafikprop
Dutch: verkeersopstopping
European Spanish: embotellamiento
Finnish: liikenneruuhka
French: embouteillage
German: Verkehrsstau
Greek: μποτιλιάρισμα
Italian: ingorgo
Japanese: 交通渋滞
Korean: 교통 마비
Norwegian: trafikkork
Polish: korek drogowy
European Portuguese: congestionamento
Romanian: ambuteiaj
Russian: дорожная пробка
Latin American Spanish: embotellamiento
Swedish: trafikstockning
Thai: การจราจรติดขัด
Turkish: trafik sıkışıklığı
Ukrainian: затори
Vietnamese: sự tắc nghẽn giao thông
Chinese translation of 'traffic jam'
traffic jam
n(c)
交通阻塞 (jiāotōng zǔsè) (阵(陣), zhèn)
Seejammed
(noun)
Definition
a number of vehicles so obstructed that they can scarcely move
He was delayed in a traffic jam.
Synonyms
hold-up
They arrived late due to a motorway hold-up.
jam
a nine-mile traffic jam
congestion
Energy consumption, road congestion and pollution have increased.
gridlock
The streets are wedged solid with the traffic gridlock.
bottleneck
a town-centre bottleneck
tailback
snarl-up
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bottleneck
Definition
something that holds up progress
a town-centre bottleneck
Synonyms
block,
hold-up,
obstacle,
congestion,
obstruction,
impediment,
blockage,
snarl-up (informal, British),
(traffic) jam
in the sense of congestion
Energy consumption, road congestion and pollution have increased.
Synonyms
overcrowding,
crowding,
mass,
jam,
clogging,
bottleneck,
snarl-up (informal, British)
in the sense of gridlock
Definition
obstruction of traffic caused by queues of vehicles forming across junctions and so causing queues in intersecting streets
The streets are wedged solid with the traffic gridlock.
Synonyms
traffic jam
Nearby words of
traffic jam
traduce
traducer
traffic
traffic jam
tragedy
tragic
trail
Synonyms of 'traffic jam'
traffic jam
Explore 'traffic jam' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of jam
Definition
a situation where a large number of people or vehicles are crowded into a place