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

• 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

While Huawei's Watch Buds, which shipped in the spring of 2023, stow their earbuds under a watch screen that pops up, the Reebok Watch EB tucks them into individual compartments on one side. —Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 21 June 2025

Deck boxes are a smart storage solution for keeping garden tools, throw pillows, pool toys, and more outdoor essentials safely stowed. —Clint Davis, People.com, 3 May 2025

The Flip gets its name from its defining physical feature—a flip-up lid that protects the lens and makes the camera easier to stow in a bag when closed. —PC Magazine, 20 June 2025

Throughout the 1990s, dozens of people tried stowing in aircraft wheel wells, exposed to the cold air and low oxygen, for free international flights. —Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2025

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
• beaux
• blow
• boe
• 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 population 34,837

Biographical Definition

Stow

biographical name

ˈstō 

John 1525–1605 English historian and antiquarian