Meaning & use
cluttered
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“cluttered” is a form of “clutter”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Full of things in an untidy way, so that the space looks messy or crowded.
Grammar: Often used after be or before a noun: the desk was cluttered; a cluttered desk.
Patterns
- cluttered with something
- a cluttered room/desk/street
His desk was so cluttered that he could not find a pen.
The kitchen looked cluttered with dishes and empty boxes.
We moved into a small, cluttered apartment and spent the weekend cleaning it.
adjectivecomparable
Containing too much detail or too many things, so it is hard to follow or use.
Grammar: Used about designs, pages, or writing: a cluttered webpage; the layout is cluttered.
Patterns
- a cluttered design/page/layout
- too cluttered to read
The website was too cluttered, so users left without reading anything.
Her slides were cluttered with charts and tiny text.
A cluttered design can make a simple message confusing.
Word forms
| comparative | more cluttered |
|---|---|
| superlative | most cluttered |
| base verb | clutter |
| third person singular | clutters |
| past tense | cluttered |
| past participle | cluttered |
| -ing form | cluttering |
| noun | clutter |
Common combinations
- cluttered with
- The table was cluttered with papers and cups.
- a cluttered desk
- A cluttered desk can make it hard to concentrate.
- look cluttered
- The room looks cluttered even after we tidy up.
- too cluttered
- The page is too cluttered for older readers.
- cluttered space
- She works better in a clean, uncluttered space.
Synonyms and how they differ
- messy
- Messy is more general and can describe anything untidy, while cluttered stresses that too many objects fill the space.
- untidy
- Untidy means not neat; cluttered suggests a crowded, packed feeling.
- crowded
- Crowded is mainly about too many people or things in a place; cluttered is about messy objects.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: cluttered or clustered?
cluttered vs clustered
Clustered means grouped closely together, while cluttered means untidy because of too many things.
Practice
Choose the best word: The hallway was ______ with shoes, bags, and old newspapers.
Choose one answer.
Cluttered fits because the hallway is untidy and full of objects. Clustered means grouped together, which does not describe mess.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cluttered”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.