adj

teeming

TEE-mihng

Teeming (adj) means Completely full of living things, especially in large, moving numbers. Example: “The rock pool was teeming with tiny crabs.”

adj

Completely full of living things, especially in large, moving numbers.

"The rock pool was teeming with tiny crabs."

"Downtown was teeming with tourists during the festival."

Pouring heavily, used of rain.

"It was absolutely teeming outside, so we stayed in."

How to use teeming

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishPacked full of living things, or (of rain) coming down very hard.

Common pairings

teeming with life teeming rain teeming streets

Word forms

more teeming comparative, most teeming superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “teeming” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The rock pool was _____ with tiny crabs.

Rhymes for teeming

seeming Fleming scheming redeeming

See all rhymes for teeming →

Frequently asked questions

What does “teeming” mean?

The word “teeming” means completely full of living things, especially in large, moving numbers. In plain terms, packed full of living things, or (of rain) coming down very hard.

How do you pronounce “teeming”?

“Teeming” is pronounced TEE-mihng (/ˈtiːmɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “teeming” in a sentence?

Here is “teeming” used in a sentence: “The rock pool was teeming with tiny crabs.”

What part of speech is “teeming”?

“Teeming” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “teeming” have?

“Teeming” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: completely full of living things, especially in large, moving numbers.