congested

Congested is an adjective describing the state of being crowded, blocked, or filled beyond capacity. It is used across disciplines to describe systems in which the flow of people, vehicles, air, data, or other elements is impeded by limited capacity or external factors.

Traffic congestion occurs when demand for road space exceeds what a transportation network can reliably supply. It leads to slow speeds, longer travel times, and frequent stops. Causes include peak-hour demand, accidents, roadworks, weather, and land-use patterns that place high demand on limited infrastructure. Impacts include increased fuel use, emissions, time loss, and economic costs.

Nasal or sinus congestion is a common medical symptom characterized by a blocked or stuffy nose. It results from swollen nasal passages and mucus buildup. Causes include viral infections, allergies, sinusitis, irritants, and hormonal changes. Management may involve hydration, saline sprays, humidification, and medications as advised by a health professional.

Network congestion occurs when data traffic exceeds the capacity of a communication link or network, causing higher latency, jitter, and packet loss. Causes include sudden traffic surges, inadequate bandwidth, routing or switching bottlenecks, and misconfigurations. Mitigation strategies include capacity expansion, traffic engineering, quality of service, prioritization, and caching.

In other contexts, congestion can describe crowded spaces in urban planning, events, or transportation hubs, where high density affects movement, safety, or comfort. The term emphasizes the mismatch between demand and available capacity across a system.