congestion
gb/kənd͡ʒˈɛst͡ʃən/ us/kənd͡ʒˈɛst͡ʃən/
B1
English
~ 7800
forgalmi torlódás, dugó, orrdugulás, váladékpangás, zsúfoltság, torlódás, túlzsúfoltság, pangás, vérpangás, hálózati torlódás, hálózati túlterhelés
NOUN
B1
1
dugó
A2
Usage pattern:
traffic congestion on [a road/area]
There was heavy congestion on the highway after the accident.
A baleset után nagy torlódás alakult ki az autópályán.
New bus lanes have helped reduce congestion in the city center.
Az új buszsávok segítettek csökkenteni a torlódást a belvárosban.
Rush-hour congestion can double my commute time.
The government plans to introduce a tax to tackle traffic congestion downtown.
Roadworks are causing severe congestion on all major routes into the city.
Learner examples
There is a lot of congestion on this road.
Nagy a torlódás ezen az úton.
We were late because of traffic congestion.
A forgalmi torlódás miatt késtünk.
The city wants to cut congestion in the center.
Rush-hour congestion is bad in big cities.
An accident caused congestion on the bridge.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"a congestion"* for this meaning. In most cases, "congestion" is uncountable: say "There is heavy congestion" or "a traffic jam", not "a congestion". Learners also sometimes use only "jam" as a noun (*"There was a jam"*); in neutral English it is clearer to say "a traffic jam" or "heavy congestion".
Meaning
crowding of vehicles on roads
Collocations
heavy congestion
|traffic congestion
|rush-hour congestion
|road congestion
|ease congestion
|reduce congestion
Synonyms
traffic jam (Usually suggests vehicles are almost not moving at all, while congestion can include very slow but moving traffic.)
Antonyms
free-flowing traffic (Describes traffic that moves easily without delays, the opposite of congestion on roads.)
Themes
transport
|city life
|daily life
|transportation
|travel
Definition
A situation where there are too many cars, buses, or trucks on the road, so traffic moves very slowly or stops.
A condition in which a large number of vehicles crowd a road network, causing traffic to move very slowly or stop.
NOUN
B1
2
orrdugulás
B1
Usage pattern:
congestion in [a body part]
This medicine should help relieve your nasal congestion.
Ez a gyógyszer segíthet enyhíteni az orrdugulását.
Her cough is getting better, but the chest congestion is still bothering her.
A köhögése javul, de a hurutos mellkasi panaszok még mindig zavarják.
Allergy season always brings sneezing and sinus congestion for me.
The doctor listened to his lungs for signs of congestion.
Steam inhalation can help reduce congestion and make breathing easier.
Learner examples
I have bad nasal congestion today.
Ma nagyon be van dugulva az orrom.
This cold medicine helps with congestion and cough.
Ez a megfázás elleni gyógyszer enyhíti az orrdugulást és a köhögést.
Hot tea can make my congestion feel better.
She stayed home because of chest congestion.
The doctor gave me pills to treat the congestion.
Common mistake:
Learners often say *"I have a congestion"*; in natural English we say "I have congestion" or "I’m congested" or "I have a blocked nose". Another mistake is confusing "congestion" with "infection". Congestion is about blockage and mucus; infection is about germs (bacteria or viruses).
Meaning
blocked nose or chest condition
Collocations
nasal congestion
|chest congestion
|sinus congestion
|relieve congestion
|treat congestion
|congestion and cough
Synonyms
stuffiness (More informal and mainly used for a blocked nose; "congestion" is slightly more medical and can refer to the chest as well.)
Antonyms
clear sinuses (Describes the opposite state, when the nasal passages are open and free of mucus.)
Themes
health
|medicine
|daily life
|body
Definition
A health problem where your nose or chest feels full and blocked with mucus, so it is hard to breathe normally.
The condition in which a body passage, especially the nose or chest, is swollen or blocked with excess fluid or mucus, making breathing difficult or uncomfortable.
NOUN
B2
3
Usage pattern:
congestion in [a place/area]
Airport congestion has caused serious delays for international flights.
A repülőtéri zsúfoltság komoly késéseket okozott a nemzetközi járatoknál.
The new terminal was built to ease congestion in the old station.
Az új terminált azért építették, hogy csökkentse a zsúfoltságot a régi állomáson.
There was so much congestion in the corridors that classes started late.
Port congestion is disrupting global supply chains.
Better scheduling can reduce congestion in the waiting room.
Learner examples
There is a lot of congestion in the airport today.
Ma nagy a zsúfoltság a repülőtéren.
The new building helps reduce congestion in the old office.
Az új épület segít csökkenteni a zsúfoltságot a régi irodában.
We had congestion in the hallway between classes.
The city wants to cut congestion in busy areas.
Extra staff can help manage congestion at the front desk.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse "crowd" as a verb (*"People crowded the station"*) when the focus is on the problem or condition. Use "There is congestion in the station" when you talk about the general situation. Also, avoid saying *"many congestions"*; this sense is almost always uncountable.
Meaning
overcrowding in a place or area
Collocations
airport congestion
|port congestion
|urban congestion
|pedestrian congestion
|reduce congestion
|congestion in the hallways
Synonyms
overcrowding (Focuses more directly on there being too many people; "congestion" also suggests resulting delays or slow movement.)
Antonyms
spaciousness (Describes having plenty of space and no crowding, the opposite of congestion in a physical area.)
Themes
city life
|business
|logistics
|daily_life
|space
Definition
A situation where there are too many people or things in one place, so it is hard to move or work normally.
A condition in which a place, space, or system is overcrowded with people or things, making movement or operation difficult or inefficient.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
4
Usage pattern:
congestion of [an organ/tissue]
The X-ray showed signs of pulmonary congestion.
A röntgenfelvételen tüdőpangás jelei látszottak.
Liver congestion can occur in patients with chronic heart failure.
Krónikus szívelégtelenségben szenvedő betegeknél májpangás alakulhat ki.
The autopsy revealed severe congestion of the lungs.
Diuretics are often prescribed to reduce congestion in these patients.
Venous congestion may lead to swelling in the lower limbs.
Learner examples
The doctor said there is congestion in his lungs.
Az orvos azt mondta, hogy pangás van a tüdejében.
Pulmonary congestion can make it hard to breathe.
A tüdőpangás megnehezítheti a légzést.
Medicine can help reduce congestion in the body.
Heart problems can cause congestion of the lungs.
The report notes congestion of the liver and kidneys.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this technical medical use with everyday "chest congestion" from a cold. In clinical writing, "pulmonary congestion" refers to fluid due to heart or circulation problems, not just mucus from an infection.
Meaning
excess blood or fluid in tissue
Collocations
pulmonary congestion
|liver congestion
|venous congestion
|cardiac congestion
|congestive heart failure
|congestion of the lungs
Synonyms
fluid buildup (Informal description used in explanations to patients; "congestion" is the more precise medical term.)
Antonyms
normal circulation (Describes the healthy opposite state, where blood or fluid flows through the body without abnormal buildup.)
Themes
medicine
|science
|health
|body
Definition
A medical problem where too much blood or other fluid stays in one part of the body and does not move normally.
In medicine, the abnormal accumulation of blood or other bodily fluids in an organ or tissue, often due to poor circulation or heart problems.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
5
Usage pattern:
network congestion on [a network/connection]
Network congestion during peak hours is slowing down video streaming.
A csúcsidőben jelentkező hálózati torlódás lelassítja a videók streamelését.
The new routing protocol is designed to reduce congestion on busy links.
Az új útválasztási protokollt úgy tervezték, hogy csökkentse a torlódást a nagy forgalmú linkeken.
Users may experience delays due to congestion on our servers.
Traffic shaping helps manage congestion on shared networks.
Heavy congestion on the backbone network affected customers worldwide.
Learner examples
There is a lot of network congestion in the evening.
Esténként nagy a hálózati torlódás.
Network congestion can make your internet very slow.
A hálózati torlódás nagyon lelassíthatja az internetkapcsolatodat.
The company added more servers to reduce congestion.
During exams, many students go online and cause congestion.
Good network design can help avoid congestion.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "congestion" here refers to physical cables being crowded. In networking, it is about too much data traffic, not about the physical space of the hardware.
Meaning
overload of data on a network
Collocations
network congestion
|internet congestion
|severe congestion
|reduce congestion
|congestion during peak hours
|congestion on the server
Synonyms
network overload (More informal and descriptive; "congestion" is the standard technical term in networking.)
Antonyms
smooth data flow (Describes data moving easily through the network without delays, the opposite of congestion.)
Themes
technology
|internet
|telecommunications
|communication
Definition
A situation where many people send data at the same time on a network, so the network becomes slow or does not work well.
In computing and telecommunications, the condition in which the volume of data traffic exceeds a network’s capacity, causing delays, packet loss, or reduced performance.
Grammar
Dictionary form
congestion
IPA
GB/kənd͡ʒˈɛst͡ʃən/
US/kənd͡ʒˈɛst͡ʃən/
Syllables & stress
con - ges - tion (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ges)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: congestion
- Plural: congestion, congestions
Word family
Forms
congestions
noun
Core family
congested
adjective
Related words
congest
verb
decongestant
noun
decongest
verb
Negative and opposite forms
uncongested
adjective
Advanced or less common
decongestion
noun
congestive
adjective
Expressions
congestion charge
1/kənd͡ʒˈɛst͡ʃən t͡ʃˈɑɹd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
fee for driving in busy areas
A special fee that drivers must pay to drive into a busy part of a city, used to try to reduce traffic there.
Examples
- London introduced a congestion charge to cut traffic in the city center.
- Some politicians want to bring in a congestion charge during rush hour.
- The congestion charge has reduced car use and increased public transport use.