What Does โCrowd sth outโ Mean?
โCrowd sth outโ means to push something out or prevent it from happening by taking up space, time, or resources.
Introduction
The phrase โcrowd sth outโ is a useful phrasal verb in English. It often describes a situation where one thing fills up space or time so much that another thing cannot happen or exist properly. Understanding the crowd sth out meaning helps learners use it correctly in daily conversations and writing. For example, a busy schedule might crowd out time for hobbies, or a new product might crowd out older ones in the market. This expression is common in both spoken and written English, especially in business, economics, and everyday life.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: crowd something out
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: to push something out or prevent it by filling space or time
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โCrowd sth outโ is a separable phrasal verb. The object (something) can come between โcrowdโ and โoutโ or after the whole phrase.
- Subject + crowd + object + out (e.g., The new mall crowded the small shops out.)
- Subject + crowd out + object (e.g., The new mall crowded out the small shops.)
Both forms are correct, but the first is more common with short objects.
How to Use โCrowd sth outโ?
Use โcrowd sth outโ when you want to say that one thing is pushing another thing away, either physically or metaphorically. It often appears in contexts like business, economics, and daily life where resources, time, or space are limited.
For example, you might say, โThe new policy crowded out smaller competitors,โ meaning it made it hard for smaller competitors to survive. Or, โToo many meetings crowded out time for work,โ meaning meetings took up all the available time.
Examples
- New technology crowded out older methods in the industry.
- His busy schedule crowded out time for exercise.
- The large company crowded out the smaller businesses in the market.
- Online streaming services have crowded out traditional TV channels.
- Her worries crowded out any happiness she felt that day.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: The new rules crowd out the old one.
Correct: The new rules crowd out the old ones. - Incorrect: They crowd out the time to rest.
Correct: They crowd out the time for rest. - Incorrect: Crowd out something.
Correct: Crowd something out.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrases include โpush out,โ โdisplace,โ and โtake over.โ However, โcrowd sth outโ often implies filling space or time so much that something else cannot fit or happen. โPush outโ is more physical or forceful, while โdisplaceโ focuses on replacing something.
For example, โThe new tenant pushed out the old oneโ is more physical, but โThe new project crowded out other tasksโ focuses on time or attention.
Common Collocations
- crowd out competition
- crowd out time
- crowd out opportunities
- crowd out resources
- crowd out smaller businesses
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of crowd sth out:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: I donโt have time to finish my hobbies these days.
Ben: Yeah, your work must be crowding out your free time.
Anna: Exactly! Meetings and deadlines crowd out everything else.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of โcrowd sth outโ:
- The new smartphone models often ______ older versions ______ quickly.
- Too many tasks can ______ your ability to focus on one thing.
- Big companies sometimes ______ small businesses ______ the market.
FAQs
- What does โcrowd sth outโ mean? It means to push something out or prevent it by filling space, time, or resources.
- Is โcrowd sth outโ separable? Yes, the object can go between โcrowdโ and โoutโ or after the whole phrase.
- Can โcrowd sth outโ be used in business? Yes, it is often used to describe how one company or product pushes out another.
- Is โcrowd outโ the same as โpush outโ? They are similar, but โcrowd outโ often relates to time or space, while โpush outโ is more physical.
- Can I use โcrowd outโ with people? Yes, it can describe people filling a space or preventing others from entering.
