What Does “Packed Like Sardines” Mean? When To Use It

The assurance you have to use an idiom correctly is dependent on how well you understand the idiom. Although you would have heard many people use the idiom “packed like sardines,” having an in-depth knowledge of it will be advantageous.

The idiomatic expression “packed like sardines” means to be in a tightly packed or crowded area to the point where you do not have enough room to move around freely. For example, you use the idiom when you are in a room filled with people, and it is almost impossible to move around.

We will proceed by looking into the different meanings of the idiomatic expression “packed like sardines.” We will also discuss different aspects of the idiom that you need to understand to know when and how to use it in a sentence correctly.

What Does “Packed Like Sardines” Mean?

The idiomatic expression “packed like sardines” refers to being in an enclosed space with other people that you cannot move around. It also means being crammed or squashed together with other people.

It also refers to when many people are tightly packed together in a small space leaving little or no room for movement. It also means being pressed together, which makes one feel very uncomfortable.

The idiom also means filling an area or a small space with a large number of people. The idiomatic expression “packed like sardines” also means when people are sitting or standing close to one another to the point that movement is almost impossible.

What Is The Origin Of The Expression “Packed Like Sardines”?

Now, we will be discussing the origin of the idiomatic expression “packed like sardines.” Having a good understanding of the origin of a word, phrase, or idiom helps you understand it better because you know the story behind its origin.

Some believe the phrase was first used in reference to human crowding in the 1800s, while others claim the first recorded use of the phrase was in 1911. However, both claims are correct because the phrase has existed since the 1800s, and the first print recorded use of the idiom was in 1911.

The idiomatic expression originates from a Russian expression ‘packed like herrings in a barrel.’ When you translate it to the English language, it means “packed like sardines.” The idiom was used in reference to how tightly sardines are always packed in a can.

After comparing the way sardines are packed in a can and overcrowding, the idiom “packed the sardines” became the accepted and commonly used phrase to describe the overcrowding of people in a room.

Sardines are small fishes, so they are always packed tightly in a can during packaging; this is synonymous with overcrowding in a room, so where there are many people in an area or a room, you use the expression “packed like sardines.”

How Do People Use The Expression “Packed Like Sardines”?

Now that we have understood the meaning of the idiomatic expression “packed like sardines,” and we have also examined its origin to understand the idea behind its creation, we will look at how to use it correctly.

The idiomatic expression “packed like sardines” is used when referring to situations where people are crammed up in a small area of space to the point where moving around becomes nearly impossible because there is no space.

In a situation where there is inadequate space to accommodate a lot of people, but the space is still filled beyond limits, you say the people are packed like sardines in that place.

You use the idiomatic expression packed like sardines when a group of people is snugly packed together, especially in a very small space. When a room is filled with a large crowd of people beyond the limits, you can say the crowd is packed like sardines.

The idiomatic expression “packed like sardines” is also referred to as “packed in like sardines,” with the use of the preposition “in” to help clarify the sentence. Others also use the alternative phrase “like sardines in a can,” but they all mean the same thing.

Illustrative Examples Of How To Use The Expression “Packed Like Sardines”

To provide a comprehensive understanding of the idiomatic expression “packed like sardines,” we will be providing some illustrative examples. These examples will help you know what context to use the idiom for and how you can use it correctly in a sentence.

1. I have heard many people say they like taking the bus to various locations, but I did not because all the passengers are always packed like sardines in the bus, so I decided to buy a car and pay for it in installments.
2. Most students love to loiter around, especially when they do not have an ongoing class. But, when they see any disciplinary committee member, they all run to hide in the closest classroom, and they end up packed like sardines.
3. My family members decided that we needed to go on a road trip, but we only had four cars, so my mum said we should rent a bus, but my grandfather declined. However, he said we would manage, so we were all packed like sardines inside each car.
4. The politicians wanted to have a secret meeting. Still, unfortunately, someone tipped the journalists, and when they showed up at the events, the politicians all rushed into a room and were packed like sardines until one of them could no longer stand it. So, he opened the door and walked out of the room.
5. Most prison cells are very small, so the prisoners were always packed like sardines inside each cell and were very uncomfortable, but there was nothing they could do about it.
6. After the typhoon happened in the Philippines, many refugees moved and lived in the tenements; because of this, the tenements were always packed like sardines.
7. The only time I enjoy entering the MRT train is in the afternoon because in the morning and evening the trains were always packed like sardines as lots of people were either going to work or leaving work.
8. People who go into agriculture without learning all the rudiments of being a farmer always experience great losses before making profits. They always make the error of storing all their produce wrongly; they are packed like sardines, so they decay easily. The farmer has to dispose of them since nobody can eat them.
9. Paying a visit to the beach during summer will always be a bad idea for me. People are always packed like sardines on the seashore.
10. My dad does not believe in shopping during holidays. He always says the malls will be packed like sardines, and he hates crowds, so shopping on public holidays is not our family culture.
11. The immigrants arrived in buses, packed like sardines, without adequate food and water to a safe place. They were escaping from the genocide in their city.

More English Idioms

• It Is A Poor Workman Who Blames His Tools
• Jump On The Bandwagon
• Killing Two Birds With One Stone

Final Thoughts

Idioms are one of the simplest expressions and phrases to use when writing. However, they are only easy to use when you have a comprehensive understanding of them. This is why they have to be studied before they are used.

Using idiomatic expressions should be fun as long as you make time to study them before you try using them. If you do not, you will not communicate effectively. So enjoy, and have fun studying.