Have you ever been to a concert, a parade, or a busy shopping mall? These places are full of people. When lots of people gather, we say it’s a crowd. People use fun and smart phrases called idioms to describe what crowds are like. These idioms help us talk about groups of people in ways that are easy to imagine.
In this article, you will learn some idioms that describe crowded places and how people act in groups. These phrases can make your writing more colorful and your speaking more interesting. Let’s look at 25 idioms about crowds and see how people use them in everyday life.
Idioms About Crowds
1. Join forces
Meaning: To work together for a shared goal.
Example Sentence:
• The students joined forces to clean the playground.
• The two companies joined forces to make a new video game.
Other ways to say: Work together, team up
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from military language, where soldiers combined their strength in battle.
Usage: Used when people cooperate to achieve something.
2. Come together
Meaning: To unite as a group.
Example Sentence:
• The community came together to help after the storm.
• The team came together to win the championship.
Other ways to say: Gather, unite
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase became famous through the Beatles song “Come Together.”
Usage: Used when people unite for a cause or event.
3. Birds of a feather flock together
Meaning: People with similar interests stay together.
Example Sentence:
• The artists in town always hang out. Birds of a feather flock together.
• All the gamers in class sit at the same lunch table. Birds of a feather flock together.
Other ways to say: Like attracts like, similar people stick together
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from the way birds of the same species group together.
Usage: Used to describe people who form groups based on common interests.
4. Rally around
Meaning: To support someone or something as a group.
Example Sentence:
• The team rallied around their injured player.
• The neighbors rallied around the family after the fire.
Other ways to say: Support, stand by
Fun Fact/Origin: “Rally” comes from an old French word meaning “to bring together.”
Usage: Used when people show support during hard times.
5. Pack in like sardines
Meaning: To crowd too many people into a space.
Example Sentence:
• We were packed in like sardines on the subway this morning.
• The concert was so full, we felt like sardines in a can.
Other ways to say: Cram in, squeeze in
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from sardines being tightly packed in cans.
Usage: Used when a place is overcrowded.
6. Round up
Meaning: To gather people or things together.
Example Sentence:
• The teacher rounded up the students for a class picture.
• Dad rounded up the family for dinner.
Other ways to say: Gather, collect
Fun Fact/Origin: Cowboys used this phrase when gathering cattle.
Usage: Used when calling people or things together.
7. Pull together
Meaning: To work as a team.
Example Sentence:
• We need to pull together to finish the school project.
• The town pulled together to rebuild the park.
Other ways to say: Cooperate, work together
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sailing, where pulling ropes together helped steer the ship.
Usage: Used when teamwork is needed.
8. Mob scene
Meaning: A place that is extremely crowded.
Example Sentence:
• The mall on Black Friday was a mob scene.
• The concert turned into a mob scene.
Other ways to say: Huge crowd, packed place
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the word “mob,” which means a large, noisy crowd.
Usage: Used when describing crowded places.
9. Gather steam
Meaning: To build energy or support over time.
Example Sentence:
• The fundraiser gathered steam as more people donated.
• The protest gathered steam after the news report.
Other ways to say: Gain momentum, pick up speed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from steam engines, which gain power as steam builds up.
Usage: Used when something is gaining strength or popularity.
10. Clump together
Meaning: To form a close group.
Example Sentence:
• The kids clumped together on the playground.
• The tourists clumped together near the guide.
Other ways to say: Huddle, bunch up
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the word “clump,” which means a thick or close group.
Usage: Used when people or things gather closely.
11. Herd together
Meaning: To move as a group.
Example Sentence:
• The shoppers herded together when the doors opened.
• The students herded together into the auditorium.
Other ways to say: Crowd together, move in a group
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the way animals move in herds.
Usage: Used when people move in a large group.
12. Rub elbows with
Meaning: To mix with important or famous people.
Example Sentence:
• At the event, she rubbed elbows with celebrities.
• He rubbed elbows with top business leaders.
Other ways to say: Mingle with, meet important people
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from crowded events where people stand close together.
Usage: Used when someone meets important or well-known people.
13. Run with the crowd
Meaning: To follow what others are doing.
Example Sentence:
• He didn’t really like sports, but he ran with the crowd and joined the team.
• She started wearing trendy clothes to run with the crowd.
Other ways to say: Follow the group, go with the flow
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of people following a large group without thinking for themselves.
Usage: Used when someone follows others instead of making their own choices.
14. Mix and mingle
Meaning: To talk and interact in a social setting.
Example Sentence:
• At the wedding, guests mixed and mingled.
• The teacher told the students to mix and mingle at the party.
Other ways to say: Socialize, interact
Fun Fact/Origin: The word “mingle” means to blend or move around in a group.
Usage: Used when people are socializing at an event.
15. Band together
Meaning: To unite for a cause.
Example Sentence:
• The workers banded together to ask for better pay.
• The students banded together to clean up the schoolyard.
Other ways to say: Join forces, stick together
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of people forming a “band” or group to work toward something.
Usage: Used when people unite for a common goal.
16. Come in droves
Meaning: To arrive in large numbers.
Example Sentence:
• Fans came in droves to see the movie premiere.
• Shoppers came in droves for the holiday sale.
Other ways to say: Arrive in crowds, show up in large numbers
Fun Fact/Origin: “Droves” refers to herds of animals moving together.
Usage: Used when large groups of people gather at an event.
17. Circle the wagons
Meaning: To unite and protect against a common threat.
Example Sentence:
• The family circled the wagons when their business was in trouble.
• The team circled the wagons after losing their star player.
Other ways to say: Defend together, stand as one
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the Old West, where pioneers arranged their wagons in a circle for safety.
Usage: Used when a group comes together to protect itself.
18. Come out in full force
Meaning: To show up in large numbers for support.
Example Sentence:
• Fans came out in full force to cheer for the team.
• The community came out in full force to help after the flood.
Other ways to say: Show up strongly, gather in support
Fun Fact/Origin: “Full force” means using all available strength or numbers.
Usage: Used when people gather in large numbers to support something.
19. Pile in
Meaning: To enter a place in a hurried or crowded way.
Example Sentence:
• The kids piled into the car for the road trip.
• Fans piled into the stadium for the big game.
Other ways to say: Rush in, crowd in
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the image of people stacking up as they enter a space quickly.
Usage: Used when a group enters a place in a rushed or crowded way.
20. All hands on deck
Meaning: Everyone must help.
Example Sentence:
• It was all hands on deck to finish the school project.
• When the store was busy, it was all hands on deck.
Other ways to say: Everyone helps, teamwork needed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sailing, where all sailors were needed on deck in an emergency.
Usage: Used when everyone in a group must work together.
21. Form a line
Meaning: To gather in an orderly way.
Example Sentence:
• The students formed a line to enter the cafeteria.
• Shoppers formed a line outside the store before it opened.
Other ways to say: Line up, queue up
Fun Fact/Origin: The word “queue” is more common in British English for forming a line.
Usage: Used when people organize themselves in a line.
22. Close ranks
Meaning: To stick together in support.
Example Sentence:
• The team closed ranks after their coach was criticized.
• The family closed ranks during the difficult time.
Other ways to say: Stand together, support each other
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from military formations, where soldiers stood closer to protect each other.
Usage: Used when a group stands together to protect or support one another.
23. Muster up
Meaning: To gather strength, courage, or people.
Example Sentence:
• He mustered up the courage to speak in front of the class.
• The leader mustered up the workers for a meeting.
Other ways to say: Summon, gather
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from military language, where “muster” means to gather troops.
Usage: Used when someone gathers strength or brings people together.
24. Huddle up
Meaning: To gather closely, usually for discussion.
Example Sentence:
• The football team huddled up before the play.
• The family huddled up to plan their vacation.
Other ways to say: Gather, group up
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in sports, where players form a close circle to discuss strategy.
Usage: Used when a group gathers for a discussion or teamwork.
25. Go in droves
Meaning: To move somewhere in large numbers.
Example Sentence:
• People went in droves to see the new amusement park.
• Customers went in droves to buy the new phone.
Other ways to say: Show up in crowds, arrive in large groups
Fun Fact/Origin: “Droves” originally described large groups of livestock moving together.
Usage: Used when a large number of people go to a place.
Quiz: Idioms About Crowds
Instructions: Read each question and the answer choices carefully. Pick the letter that best matches the meaning of the phrase or expression.
Question Key
1. What does “pack in like sardines” mean?
A) People are swimming freely
B) People are squeezed into a small space
C) People are dancing in circles
2. If people “come in droves,” what does it mean?
A) They are lost in a crowd
B) They come one at a time
C) They arrive in big groups
3. What does “muster up” mean?
A) To go to sleep early
B) To gather people or courage
C) To hide from a group
4. If someone says “all hands on deck,” what do they mean?
A) Only one person needs to help
B) Everyone must help
C) Nobody needs to work
5. When people “pull together,” what are they doing?
A) Walking away from each other
B) Ignoring the problem
C) Working as a team
6. What does “circle the wagons” mean?
A) To build a circle for fun
B) To go shopping together
C) To come together to protect each other
7. What does it mean to “rub elbows with” someone?
A) You are bumping into people by accident
B) You are meeting famous or important people
C) You are arguing in a group
8. What does it mean to “form a line”?
A) Everyone is singing
B) Everyone is sitting on the floor
C) Everyone is standing in order
9. What does “huddle up” mean?
A) To gather closely to talk or plan
B) To leave the group quietly
C) To go home early
10. If someone “runs with the crowd,” what are they doing?
A) They are copying what everyone else is doing
B) They are standing alone
C) They are leading the group
Answer Key
- B) People are squeezed into a small space
- C) They arrive in big groups
- B) To gather people or courage
- B) Everyone must help
- C) Working as a team
- C) To come together to protect each other
- B) You are meeting famous or important people
- C) Everyone is standing in order
- A) To gather closely to talk or plan
- A) They are copying what everyone else is doing
Wrapping Up
Idioms about crowds help us describe what it’s like when many people come together. Whether it’s teaming up to solve a problem or being squeezed in a busy place, these phrases show how people act in groups.
Now that you know these 25 idioms, try using them in your writing or when you talk with others. You’ll sound more natural and colorful. Keep practicing and watch how these idioms make your language stronger.
