stockpile

1 of 2

noun

stock·​pile ˈstäk-ˌpī(-ə)l How to pronounce stockpile (audio)
: a storage pile: such as
a
: a reserve supply of something essential accumulated within a country for use during a shortage
b
: a gradually accumulated reserve of something
avert stockpiles of unsold carsBert Pierce

stockpile

2 of 2

verb

stockpiled; stockpiling; stockpiles

transitive verb

1
: to place or store in or on a stockpile
2
: to accumulate a stockpile of
a country suspected of stockpiling weapons
stockpiler noun

Examples of stockpile in a Sentence

Noun a stockpile of medical supplies an emergency stockpile of potable water and canned goods in the cellar Verb The government stockpiled vaccines to prepare for a flu epidemic. we should be able to stockpile enough vaccine for the upcoming flu season
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Meta is one of Nvidia’s biggest customers Earlier this year, the social media giant announced plans to grow its stockpile of older Nvidia chips. Bruce Gil, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 Since there is no money to replenish the equipment and weapons sent, the military would be depleting its stockpiles and potentially risking harm to unit readiness for war. Stephen Groves and Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2024 With technological advancements, the effectiveness of the Space Force’s mission will be increasingly defined by its ability to design, develop, and deploy software capabilities, rather than adhering to traditional metrics like ammunition stockpiles or the number of mission-capable aircraft. Charles Beames, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Oil Stockpiles Prince Abdulaziz also spoke about emergency oil stockpiles held by other countries. Matthew Martin, Fortune, 12 Feb. 2024 To do so, U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration could have authorized U.S. military ships already in the Red Sea to target the Houthis’ ammunition depots, weapons stockpiles, training facilities, missile launch sites, and potentially even their command-and-control centers. Noam Raydan, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2024 Also in the news: With the Russia-Ukraine war's front line largely static amid icy weather, both sides seek to replenish their weapons stockpiles. USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2024 However, while Iran had reduced its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium, the report also noted a steady increase in stocks of uranium enriched to 20%. Adam Pourahmadi, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024 There’s the stockpile it’s amassed of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2024
Verb
The landfill is also stockpiling about 2 million gallons of this liquid waste in scores of metal storage containers on site. Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 New York Community Bancorp touched a 27-year low on Tuesday after slashing its dividend and stockpiling reserves in part because of troubled real estate credit. Neil Callanan, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2024 O’Neill’s goal is to grow the company and stockpile enough lumber to produce flooring in addition to paneling. Jill Draper, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2024 During his 78 years of life, that frugality allowed Kahn to stockpile $13 million. Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Jan. 2024 So there is an urgent need to stockpile relevant weapons now. Michael Poznansky, Foreign Affairs, 5 Jan. 2024 Paramount+ Synanon's culture was always changing, but Dederich quickly began making erratic and extreme decisions including requiring vasectomies, breaking up marriages, and swapping partners and stockpiling a large cache of weapons to protect the community. Cassidy Arkin, CBS News, 14 Dec. 2023 Thirty years before, federal agents in Waco confronted a cult called the Branch Davidians, whose members were stockpiling weapons and explosives in their compound. Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 As companies stockpile more and more data, their data investments won’t generate adequate returns if insights aren’t being used to enhance decision making. Brent Dykes, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1872, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1921, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stockpile was in 1872

Dictionary Entries Near stockpile

Cite this Entry

“Stockpile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stockpile. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stockpile

noun
stock·​pile
ˈstäk-ˌpīl
: an extra supply especially of something necessary accumulated within a country for use during a shortage
stockpile verb

More from Merriam-Webster on stockpile

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