cupboard

noun

cup·​board ˈkə-bərd 

: a closet with shelves where dishes, utensils, or food is kept

also : a small closet

Synonyms of cupboard

• pantry

Examples of cupboard in a Sentence

the colonial dining room features a double-door corner cupboard for the family's finest china

dishes go in the cupboard next to the sink

Recent Examples on the Web

With that, the shortstop cupboard has been stripped bare for weeks. — John Laghezza, New York Times, 10 July 2026

Wasserman said a veterinarian believed the newborn may have died from a congenital disability after it was found beneath a cupboard. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026

The hotel's team can also do a grocery run and stock the cupboards and fridge ahead of your stay. — Chadner Navarro, Travel + Leisure, 29 June 2026

The small kitchen retains its midcentury charm, but open shelving above the counter provides an airier, more contemporary cupboard to show off Miranda-Martin’s dish and glassware collection. — Marissa Gluck, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cupboard

• airing cupboard
• skeletons in the/someone's cupboard

Kids Definition

cupboard

noun

cup·​board ˈkəb-ərd 

: a closet with shelves for cups, dishes, or food