Meaning & use
chocka
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparableinformalBritish
Extremely full or crowded; packed tightly with people or things.
Grammar: Used after a linking verb like 'be' or 'get': The room was chocka. It is not used before a noun.
Patterns
- be chocka
- be chocka with something
The train was absolutely chocka this morning, so I had to stand all the way.
The pub was chocka with football fans after the match.
By noon the beach was chocka.
adjectivenot comparableinformalBritish
Completely full of something; packed with a particular thing.
Grammar: Often followed by 'with': The bag was chocka with books. Also used in the phrase 'chock-a-block'.
Patterns
- be chocka with something
Her suitcase was chocka with souvenirs.
The schedule is chocka with meetings all week.
Common combinations
- chocka with
- The market was chocka with tourists.
- absolutely chocka
- The stadium was absolutely chocka for the final.
- chocka block
- The street was chocka block with parked cars.
Synonyms and how they differ
- packed
- More neutral and common in both British and American English; 'chocka' is more slangy and mostly British.
- crowded
- Describes a place with many people; 'chocka' can also mean full of things, not just people.
- jammed
- Often used for traffic or a tight space; 'chocka' is more general and informal.
Opposites
Word family
- chock-a-block adjective
- The full form, meaning completely full; often used in British English.
- chock-full adjective
- A similar adjective meaning completely full, used in both British and American English.
Commonly confused: chocka or chock? chocka or choker?
chocka vs chock
A 'chock' is a block of wood or metal used to stop something from moving. 'Chocka' is an informal adjective meaning full.
chocka vs choker
A 'choker' is a tight necklace. It sounds a bit like 'chocka' but has a completely different meaning.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'chocka' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Chocka' is an adjective used after a linking verb, often with 'with', so 'was chocka with commuters' fits. The other options use it as a verb, a noun, or before a noun, which is not standard.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “chocka”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.