cram through

USAGE SUMMARY

Sentence The phrase "cram through" is not a standard English phrase.
You can use the phrase "cram in" to mean to fit something in a short amount of time, such as cramming in studying for a test. For example, "I had to cram in studying for the test in one night."

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Customers cram through a gate of flowers.

The Economist

Thankfully, we didn't have all that much data to cram through the old slow pipes.

Harvard Business Review

In that speech, which Democrats being cut out of the health-care process especially hailed, McCain in strong terms blasted GOP leadership for trying to cram through an unpopular Obamacare repeal measure and called in his party to start reaching across the aisle.

The Washington Post

But most Democrats, showing their ideological blinders, presume the only solution is to cram through a bill that most Americans find confusing and unaffordable, and thus will likely only reinforce the middle's mistrust.

Forbes

Americans are out there making sacrifices and struggling to make a better future for their kids, and over the last year as the damn-the-torpedoes outline of this legislation became more clear, millions of Americans lifted their voices and many, for the first time, asking us to slow down, not to try to cram through more than this system could handle, not to spend money that we didn't have.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

By kick-off time, a Twitter invitation lured hundreds of Roustabouts cramming through the doors.

The Guardian - Sport

A senior police officer said that many of the bombs were crammed through letter-boxes in the business premises.

The Guardian

Students at the institute crammed through a staircase thickly blanketed with glass out to the street, where hundreds stood in awe, looking at the sky.

The New York Times

The concern she expressed in that statement was no doubt sparked by the nasty squabbling and disarray among Balkan states over how to deal with hundreds of thousands of desperate people cramming through their borders, on to trains and across fields, sometimes even wading through rivers, in a frantic rush northwards.

The Guardian - Opinion

Even though the Israeli military said the church might be booby-trapped, monks and friars crammed through the door just after 5 p.m. to chant and pray in relief as the church's bells pealed for the first time in over five weeks.

The New York Times

Yet once the agency crams through testing after proposing a ban (wrong sequence of events?), we will be expected to believe it did not go hunting to find the results that back up its Orwellian government overreach.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the quick or forceful passing of legislation or policies, consider using "push through" or "force through" as alternatives to "cram through" for clarity and formality.

Common error

Avoid using "cram through" in formal writing or professional communications. While understandable, it can sound informal or even slightly aggressive. Opt for more neutral alternatives like "expedite" or "facilitate" depending on the specific meaning you want to convey.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cram through" functions as a phrasal verb, often used to describe the action of forcing something quickly and sometimes carelessly past an obstacle or through a process. The contexts provided by Ludwig suggest its use in describing legislative or policy actions.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "cram through" is used to describe the act of quickly and forcefully moving something past an obstacle or through a process, often with negative connotations. As Ludwig AI underlines, it is not a standard English phrase. While it appears mainly in news and media sources, it's generally considered a neutral register. For more formal or professional contexts, alternatives like "push through", "force through", or more neutral terms like "expedite" or "facilitate" are often more appropriate. This ensures clarity and avoids any unintended informal or aggressive tones. Given its limited usage and availability primarily in news sources, consider it carefully before deploying it in academic or business writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

push through

Focuses more on the act of pushing or forcing something past an obstacle.

force through

Emphasizes the exertion of force to achieve passage or completion.

ram through

Suggests a more forceful and possibly destructive passage.

squeeze through

Implies navigating a narrow or tight space.

shove through

Highlights a rough or hurried attempt to get through.

hurry through

Focuses on completing something quickly, possibly at the expense of quality.

rush through

Similar to hurry through, but with a stronger sense of urgency.

bulldoze through

Suggests an aggressive and unstoppable advancement.

jam through

Emphasizes the difficulty and potential damage involved in forcing passage.

blast through

Implies a rapid and potentially destructive passage.

FAQs

How can I use "cram through" in a sentence?

You can use "cram through" to describe forcing something or someone through a confined space or process. For instance, "They tried to cram the new policy through the committee despite the opposition".

What are some alternatives to "cram through"?

Alternatives include "push through", "force through", or "squeeze through", depending on the specific context you want to convey.

Is "cram through" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "cram through" is not a standard or formal phrase. It is more common in informal contexts. Ludwig AI suggests "cram in" is a more typical phrase.

When should I avoid using "cram through"?

Avoid using "cram through" in formal or professional writing. Opt for more precise and professional alternatives such as "expedite" or "facilitate".