Also means
traffic jam
Usage Note
Tapón covers any stopper or plug (a bottle cork, a drain plug, an earplug), and colloquially in Spain means a traffic jam (hay un tapón en la autopista — there is a jam on the motorway). It also informally describes a short, stocky person. The verb tapar (to cover/block) is the root.
Examples
"Pon el tapón en el lavabo para que no se vaya el agua."
Natural Translation
Put the plug in the sink so the water doesn't drain away.

Free starter pack
Building your Spanish vocabulary?
Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.
Related Words
Explore Spanish by topic
SpanishNow
6 min read