stow

verb

ˈstō 

stowed; stowing; stows

transitive verb

1

: house, lodge

2

a

: to put away for future use : store

b

obsolete : to lock up for safekeeping : confine

3

a

: to dispose in an orderly fashion : arrange, pack

b

: load

4

slang : to put aside : stop

5

a

archaic : crowd

b

: to eat or drink up

—usually used with away

stowed away a huge dinner

Synonyms of stow

• store
• keep

Examples of stow in a Sentence

He stowed his gear in a locker.

Luggage may be stowed under the seat.

Recent Examples on the Web

The passport-sized phone is comfortable to stow in a pocket or use closed, but unfolds to reveal a matte, light-deflecting surface with a barely-visible crease. — Time Staff, Time, 5 Nov. 2026

If pantry snacks are spilling out onto the floor, add these bins on a shelf to keep individual snacks visible and neatly stowed. — Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2026

On a single charge, the buds deliver eight hours of battery life, with 24 extra hours stowed in the case for all-day listening. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026

Containerized units support flexible replacement The batteries’ containerized format allows them to be handled and stowed in the same manner as standard cargo containers. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to place, from stowe place, from Old English stōw; akin to Old Frisian stō place, Greek stylos pillar — more at steer

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing stow

• stow away

Rhymes for stow

• beau
• beaut
• beaux
• blow
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

stow

verb

ˈstō 

1

: to put away : store

stowed their belongings in the closet

2

a

: arrange sense 1, pack

quickly stowed the cargo

b

: load entry 2 sense 1a

stowed the ships to capacity

3

: to eat or drink up

stow away a meal

Geographical Definition

Stow

geographical name

ˈstō 

city in northeastern Ohio northeast of Akron

Biographical Definition

Stow

biographical name

ˈstō 

John 1525–1605 English historian and antiquarian