plural stacks
1
: a large usually conical pile (as of hay, straw, or grain in the sheaf) left standing in the field for storage
2
a
: an orderly pile or heap
b
: a large quantity or number
3
: an English unit of measure especially for firewood that is equal to 108 cubic feet
4
a
: a number of flues embodied in one structure rising above a roof
b
: a vertical pipe (as to carry off smoke)
c
: the exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine
5
a
: a structure of bookshelves for compact storage of books
—usually used in plural
b
stacks plural
: a section of a building housing such structures
6
: a pile of poker chips
7
a
: a memory or a section of memory in a computer for temporary storage in which the last item stored is the first retrieved
also
: a data structure that simulates a stack
a push-down stack
b
: a computer memory consisting of arrays of memory elements stacked one on top of another
stacked; stacking; stacks
1
a
: to arrange in a stack : pile
b
: to pile in or on
stacked the table with books
stack the dishwasher
2
a
: to arrange secretly for cheating
stack a deck of cards
b
: to arrange or fix so as to make a particular result likely
the odds are stacked against us
will stack juries to suit themselves—
Patrice Horn
Patrice Horn3
a
: to assign (an airplane) by radio to a particular altitude and position within a group circling before landing
b
: to put into a waiting line
another dozen rigs are stacked up and waiting—P. H. Hutchins, Jr.
P. H. Hutchins, Jr.4
: compare
—used with against
such a crime is nothing when stacked against a murder—Pete Censky
Pete Censky
: to form a stack
stacker
noun
Synonyms
Noun
- abundance
- barrel
- basketful
- boatload
- bucket
- bunch
- bundle
- bushel
- carload
- chunk
- deal
- dozen
- fistful
- gobs
- good deal
- heap
- hundred
- lashings [chiefly British]
- lashins
- loads
- lot
- mass
- mess
- mountain
- much
- multiplicity
- myriad
- oodles
- pack
- passel
- peck
- pile
- plateful
- plenitude
- plentitude
- plenty
- pot
- potful
- profusion
- quantity
- raft
- reams
- scads
- sheaf
- shipload
- sight
- slew
- spate
- store
- ton
- truckload
- volume
- wad
- wealth
- yard
Verb
Examples of stack in a Sentence
Noun
He had arranged the letters in stacks.
She took a magazine from near the top of the stack.
Verb
She spent the afternoon splitting and stacking firewood.
She stacked the plates in the cupboard.
He stacked the books on the table.
The other players accused him of stacking the deck.
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Recent Examples on the WebElise Taylor, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2023
In additon, the mother of five added several smaller details around the house, including a stack of Christmas books, several holiday-scented candles and a comfy throw blanket on the couch.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 20 Nov. 2023
He was surrounded by stacks of books and oddities—glass bottles, a puppet, a propeller, a model skull.
—Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
Next, stack or line up dirty dishes, bowls and glasses by type.
—Genevieve Ko, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023
Dirt floors, stacks of two-by-fours, and a pile of Little Caesars pizza boxes under attack by a work crew on lunch break.
—Lev Facher, STAT, 16 Nov. 2023
The blocks are linking cubes that make stacks of 10 to encourage easy counting.
—Korin Miller, wsj.com, 15 Nov. 2023
Thankfully, the slippers, which are made of the brand’s signature triple stack technology that hugs your entire foot, are fly enough to wear inside and outside of the house without shame.
—Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023
There, the shuttle’s full stack would‘ve been assembled in one of the largest buildings by volume in the world, rising more than 50 stories and equipped with plenty of cranes and platforms from which to work.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023
Jake Smith, Glamour, 24 Nov. 2023
Yes, once the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has aired and the dishes are stacked in the kitchen sink, many Americans hit the couch for the holiday's other grand tradition, courtesy of the NFL.
—Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023
To top it all off, there's the pure joy of getting to bound down a mountain stacked with fresh powder while high-fiving friends and strangers along the way.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 17 Nov. 2023
Across the globe, data centers are stacked to the ceiling with shelf after shelf of humming servers.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 Nov. 2023
The other holds 50 canisters that are stacked horizontally.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Nov. 2023
Kids can stack and restack the discs or pull up the pole and play with them independently.
—Korin Miller, wsj.com, 15 Nov. 2023
Farmers scuttle and dump that waste to wooden fence lines and eventually stack that stone into crude walls to maximize arable space, mark property boundaries and help with fencing.
—Robert Thorson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Nov. 2023
Antique tables and chairs are stacked between filing cabinets and assorted electronics.
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
See More
Noun
Slipping the maître d’ a stack of bills is always a classic.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2023
In additon, the mother of five added several smaller details around the house, including a stack of Christmas books, several holiday-scented candles and a comfy throw blanket on the couch.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 20 Nov. 2023
He was surrounded by stacks of books and oddities—glass bottles, a puppet, a propeller, a model skull.
—Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
Next, stack or line up dirty dishes, bowls and glasses by type.
—Genevieve Ko, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023
Dirt floors, stacks of two-by-fours, and a pile of Little Caesars pizza boxes under attack by a work crew on lunch break.
—Lev Facher, STAT, 16 Nov. 2023
The blocks are linking cubes that make stacks of 10 to encourage easy counting.
—Korin Miller, wsj.com, 15 Nov. 2023
Thankfully, the slippers, which are made of the brand’s signature triple stack technology that hugs your entire foot, are fly enough to wear inside and outside of the house without shame.
—Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023
There, the shuttle’s full stack would‘ve been assembled in one of the largest buildings by volume in the world, rising more than 50 stories and equipped with plenty of cranes and platforms from which to work.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023
Verb
Some highlights: this thin, stacking bangle from Tory Burch that’s 30% off; the engagement and wedding bands at Mejuri, and this fun butterfly choker from Frasier Sterling—one of our fave affordable jewelry brands—that’s a super cute present for a teen girl.
—Jake Smith, Glamour, 24 Nov. 2023
Yes, once the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has aired and the dishes are stacked in the kitchen sink, many Americans hit the couch for the holiday's other grand tradition, courtesy of the NFL.
—Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023
To top it all off, there's the pure joy of getting to bound down a mountain stacked with fresh powder while high-fiving friends and strangers along the way.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 17 Nov. 2023
Across the globe, data centers are stacked to the ceiling with shelf after shelf of humming servers.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 Nov. 2023
The other holds 50 canisters that are stacked horizontally.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Nov. 2023
Kids can stack and restack the discs or pull up the pole and play with them independently.
—Korin Miller, wsj.com, 15 Nov. 2023
Farmers scuttle and dump that waste to wooden fence lines and eventually stack that stone into crude walls to maximize arable space, mark property boundaries and help with fencing.
—Robert Thorson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Nov. 2023
Antique tables and chairs are stacked between filing cabinets and assorted electronics.
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stack.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English stak, from Old Norse stakkr; akin to Russian stog stack and probably to Old English staca stake
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of stack was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing stack
Dictionary Entries Near stack
Cite this Entry
“Stack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stack. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
stack
1 of 2 noun1
: a large pile (as of hay, straw, or grain) usually shaped like a cone
2
a
: an orderly pile of objects usually one on top of the other
a stack of dishes
b
: a large number or amount
4
: a structure with shelves for storing books
—usually used in plural
stack
2 of 2 verb
: to arrange in or form a stack : pile
stacked the dishes on the table
stacker
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on stack
Nglish: Translation of stack for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of stack for Arabic Speakers
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