Cream — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈkrēm/

Meaning & Definition of Cream

Cream (noun)

  1. the yellowish part of milk containing from 18 to about 40 percent butterfat
  2. a food prepared with cream
  3. something having the consistency of cream; especially, a usually emulsified medicinal or cosmetic preparation

Cream (verb)

  1. to form cream or a surface layer like the cream on standing milk
  2. to break into or cause something to break into a creamy froth; also, to move like froth
  3. skim

Cream (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class

    "the school accepts only the cream of the world's young violinists"

    similar: A-list, aristocracy, best, choice, corps d'elite, crème de la crème, elect, elite, fat, flower, illuminati, pick, pink, pride, priesthood, prime, royalty, upper crust, cream of the crop, Hall of Fame
    related: establishment, gentry, nobility, quality, society, top, top drawer, upper class, caviar, who's who
    near: commoners, herd, hoi polloi, masses, millions, mob, multitude, rank and file, unwashed

Cream (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of

    "the head-on collision creamed the brand-new car in an instant"

    similar: annihilate, decimate, demolish, desolate, destroy, devastate, do in, extinguish, nuke, pull down, pulverize, raze, rub out, ruin, shatter, smash, tear down, total, vaporize, waste, wrack, wreck
    related: beat, best, clobber, conquer, crush, defeat, drub, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), rout, scotch, skunk, subdue, surmount, thrash, trim, triumph (over), trounce, wallop, whip, win (against), blast, blow up, break, cripple, damage, deface, deteriorate, disfigure, disintegrate, dissolve, dynamite, harm, impair, injure, mangle, mar, mutilate, spoil, vitiate, erode, scour, sweep (away), wash out, wear (away), dilapidate, disassemble, dismantle, gut, take down, unbuild, undo, unmake, blot out, efface, eradicate, expunge, exterminate, extirpate, liquidate, obliterate, remove, root (out), snuff (out), stamp (out), wipe out, despoil, havoc, loot, pillage, plunder, ravage, sack, trample, trash, vandalize, assassinate, butcher, cut down, dispatch, execute, fell, kill, kill off, massacre, mow (down), murder, slaughter, slay, take out, zap
    opposite: build, construct, erect, put up, raise, rear, set up
    near: doctor, fix, mend, patch, recondition, repair, revamp, create, invent, assemble, fabricate, fashion, forge, form, frame, make, manufacture, mold, produce, shape, bring about, constitute, establish, father, found, institute, organize, conserve, preserve, protect, save, rebuild, reconstruct, remodel, renovate, restore

  2. to defeat by a large margin

    "the novice player was creamed in her first tennis tournament"

    similar: annihilate, blow away, bomb, bury, clobber, drub, dust, flatten, paste, rout, shellac, skin, skunk, smoke (slang), smother, snow under, thrash, trim, tromp, trounce, wallop, wax (slang), whip, whomp, whop, whup, beat the pants off, eat alive, run circles around, wipe the floor with
    related: sweep, upset, beat, best, conquer, dispatch, hurdle, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), subdue, surmount, take, throw, triumph (over), win (against), worst, crush, knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, overwhelm, subjugate, upend, vanquish, ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcend, edge (out), nose out, pip (British), cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed, break, destroy, do in, finish, sink, slaughter

Related Entry: Cream puff (noun)

Cream puff is a different word from Cream. The synonyms below are for cream puff, not for cream.

  1. something easily done or dealt with

    "everyone thinks tonight's game will be a cream puff, and so it hasn't generated a lot of interest"

    similar: breeze, cake, cakewalk, child's play, cinch, duck soup, kid stuff, picnic, pushover, roses, snap, piece of cake, walk in the park
    related: no-brainer, nothing, sitting duck, gimme, laugher, walkaway
    opposite: bear, beast, chore, headache, horror show, killer, labor, murder, pain, sticky wicket, stinker (slang)
    near: brainteaser, poser, stumper, toughie, bother, nuisance, trouble

Related Entry: Cream of the crop (phrase)

Cream of the crop is a different word from Cream. The synonyms below are for cream of the crop, not for cream.

  1. individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class

    "He was certain that the judges would recognize his show rabbit as the cream of the crop."

    similar: A-list, aristocracy, best, choice, corps d'elite, cream, crème de la crème, elect, elite, fat, flower, illuminati, pick, pink, pride, priesthood, prime, royalty, upper crust, Hall of Fame
    related: establishment, gentry, nobility, quality, society, top, top drawer, upper class, caviar, who's who
    near: commoners, herd, hoi polloi, masses, millions, mob, multitude, rank and file, unwashed

Related Entry: Cream puffs (noun)

Cream puffs is a different word from Cream. The synonyms below are for cream puffs, not for cream.

  1. something easily done or dealt with

    "everyone thinks tonight's game will be a cream puff, and so it hasn't generated a lot of interest"

    similar: breezes, cakes, cakewalks, child's play, cinches, duck soup, kid stuff, picnics, pushovers, roses, snaps, pieces of cake, walks in the park
    related: no-brainers, sitting ducks, gimmes, laughers, walkaways
    opposite: bears, beasts, chores, headaches, horror shows, killers, labors, murders, pains, sticky wickets, stinkers (slang)
    near: brainteasers, posers, stumpers, toughies, bothers, nuisances, troubles

Related Entry: Cold cream (noun)

Cold cream is a different word from Cream. The synonyms below are for cold cream, not for cream.

  1. as in cream, oil

    similar: blush, cream, eye shadow, kohl, lipstick, lotion, mascara, oil, powder, rouge, vanishing cream, cosmetics, makeup, maquillage, paint, war paint, greasepaint, camo, camouflage

Related Entry: Vanishing cream (noun)

Vanishing cream is a different word from Cream. The synonyms below are for vanishing cream, not for cream.

  1. as in cream, oil

    similar: blush, cold cream, cream, eye shadow, kohl, lipstick, lotion, mascara, oil, powder, rouge, cosmetics, makeup, maquillage, paint, war paint, greasepaint, camo, camouflage

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Cream

The most common words with a similar meaning to Cream:

Slang: smoke, wax
A-list, aristocracy, best, choice, corps d'elite, crème de la crème, elect, elite, fat, flower, illuminati, pick, pink, pride, priesthood, prime, royalty, upper crust, cream of the crop, Hall of Fame, annihilate, decimate, demolish, desolate, destroy, devastate, do in, extinguish, nuke, pull down, pulverize, raze, rub out, ruin, shatter, smash, tear down, total, vaporize, waste

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Cream

Words with the opposite meaning of Cream:

build, construct, erect, put up, raise, rear, set up

Related Words for Cream

establishment, gentry, nobility, quality, society, top, top drawer, upper class, caviar, who's who, beat, conquer, crush, defeat, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), scotch, subdue, surmount, triumph (over), win (against), blast, blow up, break, cripple, damage

Near Antonyms of Cream

commoners, herd, hoi polloi, masses, millions, mob, multitude, rank and file, unwashed, doctor, fix, mend, patch, recondition, repair, revamp, create, invent, assemble, fabricate, fashion, forge, form, frame, make, manufacture, mold, produce, shape, bring about

Word Forms of Cream

Inflections: creamed, creaming, creams

Origin & Etymology of Cream

Middle English creyme, crayme, creme, borrowed from Anglo-French creme, creime (continental Old French craime, cresme), going back to Late Latin crama, going back to a presumed Gaulish cognate of Welsh cramen "scab, crust, layer," Breton kramm, krammenn "(layer of) grime" and perhaps Irish screamh "deposit on a surface, crust, scum," from a Celtic etymon of uncertain shape and origin

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Cream

Words & Phrases Containing Cream

cream ale, cream cheese, cream of tartar, cream puff, cream soda, cream-colored, cream off, cream tea

Frequently Asked Questions about Cream

What does "Cream" mean?

"Cream" means the yellowish part of milk containing from 18 to about 40 percent butterfat. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the yellowish part of milk containing from 18 to about 40 percent butterfat. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Cream"?

Other words for "Cream" include A-list, aristocracy, best, choice, corps d'elite, crème de la crème, elect and elite. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Cream" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Cream"?

There are 202 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Cream". Common alternatives include A-list, aristocracy, best, choice, corps d'elite, crème de la crème, elect, elite, fat and flower.

What is the opposite of "Cream"?

Antonyms of "Cream" include build, construct, erect, put up, raise, rear and set up. Near antonyms include commoners, herd, hoi polloi and masses.

How do you use "Cream" in a sentence?

Examples of "Cream" in a sentence: "the school accepts only the cream of the world's young violinists"; "the head-on collision creamed the brand-new car in an instant"; "the novice player was creamed in her first tennis tournament".

Is "Cream" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Cream" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Cream" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Cream" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Cream"?

"Cream" is pronounced /ˈkrēm/.