Cramped means squeezed into too small a space, making movement difficult and uncomfortable. When five kids try to squeeze into the back seat of a car built for three, they're cramped together, elbows jabbing into ribs and legs twisted awkwardly. A cramped bedroom barely has room to walk between the bed and the desk.

The word also describes handwriting that's tight and hard to read because the letters are scrunched together instead of properly spaced. After writing for a long time, your hand might feel cramped: the muscles tighten up and start to ache from gripping the pencil too hard or holding the same position for too long.

Sometimes people describe cramped living conditions, meaning families living in spaces too small for comfort. Astronauts work in the cramped quarters of a spacecraft, where every inch of space matters. The opposite of cramped is spacious: a spacious room gives you plenty of room to spread out and move freely. When something feels cramped, you notice the lack of space immediately because you can't move or work comfortably.