How to Use like sardines in a Sentence

like sardines

idiom
Definition of like sardinesnext
  • Larger fish like sardines and herring make up the rest.
    — Chris Dwyer, CNN, 3 Aug. 2022
  • Then came the Dance Marathon, the high adrenaline dance off where the couples are packed on the floor like sardines to dance their hearts out.
    — Calie Schepp, EW.com, 19 Oct. 2022
  • And then we would be thrown in the paddy wagons, and sometimes we were stacked in there like sardines in a can.
    — Jeremy Gray | , al, 5 Apr. 2023
  • One smoked, one shellfish, and one of the little fishes like sardines or mackarel is a good way to start.
    — Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 15 Dec. 2022
  • Word began to spread about this local league held in a small middle school with fans packed in the gym like sardines.
    — Anthony Gharib, USA TODAY, 12 July 2023
  • Even more were stacked like sardines in filing cabinet drawers.
    — Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 21 July 2023
  • Every weekend during the summer, New Yorkers travel to the Rockaways by subway or ferry to lie like sardines along the vast shoreline.
    — Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 24 Aug. 2022
  • Something straightforward like sardines in olive oil, or silvery needlefish for a close variation, sets a benchmark.
    — Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2023
  • Eyewitness reports described a scene where attendees were packed into the crowd like sardines and described intense pressure on their chest during Scott’s performance, while others were trampled in the chaos.
    — Vulture, 29 June 2023
  • Eyewitness reports described a scene where attendees were packed into the crowd like sardines and described intense pressure on their chest during Scott’s performance, while others were trampled in the chaos.
    — Vulture, 29 June 2023
  • Wine, wine everywhere: bottles stacked on bottles, crowding every spare surface space, taking every inch of unclaimed countertop, packed like sardines between the tables, layered like a phalanx three soldiers deep atop the bar.
    — Jordan Michelman, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2023
  • Wine, wine everywhere: bottles stacked on bottles, crowding every spare surface space, taking every inch of unclaimed countertop, packed like sardines between the tables, layered like a phalanx three soldiers deep atop the bar.
    — Jordan Michelman, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2023
  • Fish consumed include those rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, like sardines, salmon, and mackerel.
    — Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health.com, 15 Feb. 2022
  • Although the festival reported that 90% of first-day attendees showed proof of vaccination, now-viral (and deeply concerning) photos of the festival show attendees packed in like sardines.
    — Asia Ewart, refinery29.com, 3 Aug. 2021
  • Anchovies go through boom and bust cycles, just like sardines, that are often driven by natural fluctuations in water temperature.
    — Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 July 2022
  • After all, most experiences aren’t exactly improved upon when you’re packed like sardines—especially during a pandemic.
    — Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Jan. 2022
  • There’s an element of freedom despite being squished together like sardines, a closeness purposely manufactured.
    — Ellen O'Brien, Outside Online, 21 Sep. 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'like sardines.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: