Word
jammed
US/ˈdʒæmd/
UK/dʒˈæmd/
Definition
adj. stuck or blocked so that something cannot move. You use this when a machine stops working because something is caught inside it.
adj. unable to move or be moved due to being stuck, wedged, or overcrowded. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'get', or 'become'.
Examples
“The paper is jammed in the printer again.”
“I tried to open the window, but the wooden frame was jammed tight from the humidity.”
“The mechanism became jammed after a small pebble lodged itself between the gears, bringing the entire assembly to a grinding halt.”
Examples
simple
“The paper is jammed in the printer again.”
contextual
“I tried to open the window, but the wooden frame was jammed tight from the humidity.”
complex
“The mechanism became jammed after a small pebble lodged itself between the gears, bringing the entire assembly to a grinding halt.”
Usage
Often followed by the preposition 'in' or 'with'.
Pitfall
The door is jam.
The door is jammed.
Learners often use the base noun/verb 'jam' instead of the participial adjective 'jammed' to describe the state of being stuck.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/jammed