stowaway

1 of 2

noun

stow·​away ˈstō-ə-ˌwā How to pronounce stowaway (audio)
: one that stows away

stow away

2 of 2

verb

stowed away; stowing away; stows away

intransitive verb

: to secrete oneself aboard a vehicle as a means of obtaining transportation

Examples of stowaway in a Sentence

Noun A stowaway was discovered on the ship.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
On their tenth day at sea, the four Nigerian stowaways crossing the Atlantic in a tiny space above the rudder of a cargo ship ran out of food and drink. Reuters, NBC News, 2 Aug. 2023 Now, though, Barbie, with stowaway Ken in tow, must travel to the real world to locate the human (America Ferrera), who works for the Mattel corporation — Will Ferrell plays the big, clueless boss — and who is somehow causing the disruption. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2023 Two Florida men who were found aboard a boat that stalled in the ocean with nearly two-dozen Cuban migrant stowaways were arrested this week on human-smuggling charges, authorities announced. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 28 July 2023 Clemens is not featured in the novel, nor are the movie’s other protagonists: Anna (Aisling Franciosi), a stowaway from Transylvania who helps Clemens fight Dracula; and Toby (Woody Norman), the affable young grandson of Captain Elliot (Liam Cunningham) who is killed by the vampire. Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 12 Aug. 2023 Watch The Adam Project on Netflix The Sea Beast Featuring the vocal talents of Karl Urban and Jared Harris, this 2022 fantasy adventure flick follows a brave sailor (Urban) who embarks on his most daring quest yet — with an unexpected young stowaway (Zaris-Angel Hator). Jacqueline Weiss, Peoplemag, 9 June 2023 Rodriguez said migrants stowaways frequently are found on trains traveling from the border. Guillermo Contreras, San Antonio Express-News, 24 Mar. 2023 This loose raffia weave sets the perfect summer mood and will easily shake out any stowaway sand. Rena Behar, Travel + Leisure, 14 Mar. 2023 Closer to the border, Ukrainian soldiers scrutinize passports and overturn sleeper beds looking for deserters and stowaways. Matt Viser and Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Anchorage Daily News, 21 Feb. 2023
Verb
Many crew members also suggest holding on to your winter coats and jacket until the boarding process is complete, then placing them on top of any bags stowed away. Bobby Laurie, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 July 2023 As the crew closed the truck, stowing away seats and overhead luggage containers, Captan looked on. Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 11 May 2023 The end of summer means mentally preparing to stow away your sandals. Aemilia Madden, Harper's BAZAAR, 28 Aug. 2023 On Sunday, the Australian Border Force (ABF) arrested a U.S. traveler after finding an undeclared 24-carat gold gun stowed away in her luggage. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2023 The lightweight metal table also includes a fabric basket underneath to stow away remote controls, laptops, books, blankets, and more. Wendy Vazquez, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2023 Instead, the best flat-top grill for you is one that’s compact enough to stow away, yet powerful enough to cook your food well. Lindsay Boyers, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2023 Even when carry-on bag space is at a premium, this is easy to stow away and have available for stress-free adventures while traveling. Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2023 Or use the longer strap, which also stows away, to carry the bag like a duffel. James Lynch, Popular Mechanics, 6 July 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stowaway.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1848, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stowaway was in 1848

Dictionary Entries Near stowaway

stow away

stowaway

stowbord

Cite this Entry

“Stowaway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stowaway. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

stowaway

1 of 2 noun
stow·​away ˈstō-ə-ˌwā How to pronounce stowaway (audio)
: one who stows away : an unregistered passenger

stow away

2 of 2 verb
ˌstō-ə-ˈwā
: to hide aboard a vehicle to obtain transportation

More from Merriam-Webster on stowaway

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