stockpile

1 of 2

noun

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

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

Synonyms of stockpile

Noun

• stash
• hoard

Verb

• store
• stash
• hoard
• accumulate

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

While oil stockpiles fell a little, supplies are still close to normal for this time of year — which is helping prevent sudden jumps in prices at the pump, according to AAA. —Sacbee.com, 12 Jan. 2026

Unpredictability and unilateralism are not desirable traits for a superpower with the second-largest stockpile of nuclear weapons. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 11 Jan. 2026

Verb

And David Schamis, founding partner at the private equity firm Atlas Merchant Capital, is steering a public company that is stockpiling HYPE. —Ben Weiss, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026

After the strike, Venezuelans across the country rushed to grocery stores to stockpile supplies amidst fears of instability and violence. —Ciaran Donnelly, Time, 11 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1872, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1921, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stockpile

• argyle
• awhile
• beguile
• compile
• condyle
• defile
• erstwhile
• exile
• freestyle
• gentile
• hairstyle
• lifestyle

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