packed to the gills
Absolutely no room
Packed to the gills means completely full, with no room to spare.
The phrase evokes a fish filled with water up to its breathing organs—maximum capacity.
It describes crowded spaces, overstuffed containers, or busy schedules: The subway was packed to the gills during rush hour, My suitcase is packed to the gills.
- fullMaximum extent reached
- stuffedFilled beyond capacity
- overflowingExceeding capacity, spilling out
- repleteCompletely filled
- chock-fullFull to overflowing
filled to capacity · chock a block · brimming · filled to the brim · bulging · standing room only · standing room · crowded · shoulder to shoulder · saturated · bursting at the seams · crammed · teeming · sardines · sardine can · dense · jammed · congested