stock·pile
ˈstäk-ˌpī(-ə)l 
: 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 cars—
Bert Pierce
Bert Pierce
stockpiled; stockpiling; stockpiles
1
: to place or store in or on a stockpile
2
: to accumulate a stockpile of
a country suspected of stockpiling weapons
stockpiler
noun
Synonyms
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 WebCelia Ford, Vox, 3 Sep. 2024
With control over the island, China’s stockpile of shorter-range missiles—cheaper and more plentiful than its medium- and long-range arsenals—would be able to reach more of Japan and the Philippines as well as each country’s waters.
—Jonathan Caverley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2024
George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2024
On Supermarket Sweep — which ran from 1990 to 1995 — contestants answered trivia questions and then earned time to race around the grocery store set to stockpile items in their grocery carts.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 31 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for stockpile 
Noun
So, don’t throw out your toothpaste and stockpile bottled water just yet.
—Celia Ford, Vox, 3 Sep. 2024
With control over the island, China’s stockpile of shorter-range missiles—cheaper and more plentiful than its medium- and long-range arsenals—would be able to reach more of Japan and the Philippines as well as each country’s waters.
—Jonathan Caverley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2024
Verb
Newsom wants to give the California Energy Commission the power to require refiners to stockpile a stable fuel reserve to prevent shortages and price spikes when equipment is shut down for maintenance.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2024
On Supermarket Sweep — which ran from 1990 to 1995 — contestants answered trivia questions and then earned time to race around the grocery store set to stockpile items in their grocery carts.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 31 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for stockpile
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.
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Cite this Entry
“Stockpile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stockpile. Accessed 19 Sep. 2024.
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