crowd in on
Encroach from sides
To crowd in on is to press closely upon someone or something, often creating a sense of confinement or pressure.
Physical objects or people may literally crowd in: The buildings crowded in on the narrow street.
More often the phrase describes psychological pressure—worries, deadlines, or demands that feel overwhelming: Responsibilities were crowding in on her from all sides.
- besiegeSurround to force surrender
- encroachAdvance beyond proper limits
- encircleSurround on all sides
- intrudeEnter uninvited
- convergeMeet at a point
hem in · invade · personal space · interfere · suffocate · press · jostle · elbow in · impose · cornered · boxed in · surround · throng · close in on · swarm · cluster · bear down on · squeeze
crowd, crowded, crowds, crowding, overcrowded, uncrowded, overcrowding, overcrowd