elbow-to-elbow
Squeezed uncomfortably together
Elbow-to-elbow describes people packed closely together, side by side: The bar was elbow-to-elbow on Friday nights.
The phrase emphasizes crowding—bodies so close that elbows nearly touch.
It can also suggest working alongside others in shared effort: elbow-to-elbow with volunteers at the food bank.
Filled to capacity
- crammedOverfilled or overstuffed
- jostlingPushing and bumping others
- sardinesSmall canned herring relatives
- squeezeFirm bilateral compression
throng · crush · shoulder-to-shoulder · standing-room-only · overcrowded · wedged · huddled · pressing
Nearby or to shut
- adjacentDirectly next to
- side-by-sidePositioned next to another
- touchingEvoking gentle emotion
- neighboringSituated beside another
intimate · near · alongside · abreast · together · contiguous · immediate · brushing
Underground transit passage
- concertLive musical performance
- stadiumLarge venue for spectators
- bazaarOpen-air merchant district
- metroUrban rail transit
festival · rally · marketplace · nightclub · rush-hour · commute · souk · bleachers
Wholeness through cohesion
- camaraderieGoodwill among companions
- collectiveJointly organized group
- fellowshipMutual goodwill among companions
- sharedHeld in common
communal · together · bonding · comradeship · united · teamwork · kinship · brotherhood
packed
Filled to capacity
- crammedOverfilled or overstuffed
- jostlingPushing and bumping others
- sardinesSmall canned herring relatives
squeeze · throng · crush · shoulder-to-shoulder · standing-room-only · overcrowded · wedged · huddled · pressing · wall-to-wall
close
Nearby or to shut
- adjacentDirectly next to
- side-by-sidePositioned next to another
- touchingEvoking gentle emotion
neighboring · intimate · near · alongside · abreast · together · contiguous · immediate · brushing · rubbing
subway
Underground transit passage
metro · festival · rally · marketplace · nightclub · rush-hour · commute · souk · bleachers · protest
unity
Wholeness through cohesion
- camaraderieGoodwill among companions
- collectiveJointly organized group
- fellowshipMutual goodwill among companions
shared · communal · together · bonding · comradeship · united · teamwork · kinship · brotherhood · sisterhood
elbow-to-elbowspread out
Extended over distance
spacious · scattered · dispersed · spaced out · at arm's length
elbow-to-elbowempty
Holding nothing inside
deserted · unpacked · uncongested · half-empty · sparse