SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus
view recents

stow

verb
Save Word
\ ˈstō How to pronounce stow (audio) \
stowed; stowing; stows

Definition of stow

 (Entry 1 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : house, lodge
2a : to put away for future use : store
b obsolete : to lock up for safekeeping : confine
3a : to dispose in an orderly fashion : arrange, pack
b : load
4 slang : to put aside : stop
5a archaic : crowd
b : to eat or drink up —usually used with awaystowed away a huge dinner

Stow

biographical name
\ ˈstō How to pronounce Stow (audio) \

Definition of Stow (Entry 2 of 3)

John 1525–1605 English historian and antiquarian

Stow

geographical name
\ ˈstō How to pronounce Stow (audio) \

Definition of Stow (Entry 3 of 3)

city in northeastern Ohio northeast of Akron population 34,837
Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about stow

Keep scrolling for more

Synonyms for stow

Synonyms: Verb

Visit the Thesaurus for More 

Examples of stow in a Sentence

Verb He stowed his gear in a locker. Luggage may be stowed under the seat.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Now, stow your tray table and prepare for another string of delicious voyages. — Dallas News, "3 soothing chicken soup recipes: Tom Kha Gai, Thukpa and Sopa de Lima," 28 Dec. 2020 All that remained was to perform a sample mass measurement maneuver to estimate the collection’s actual mass, stow the collector head away in a sample return capsule, and navigate it back to Earth by the year 2023. — Chris Wright, Wired, "How NASA Scrambled to Save OSIRIS-REx From Leaky Disaster," 16 Dec. 2020 Clocking in at a little over two pounds, this option is lightweight enough to stow in the trunk of your car. — Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, "A Potentially Hazardous Asteroid Is Flying Past Earth on Christmas Day," 24 Dec. 2020 At 2 feet tall and pre-lit, this one is easy to stow and set back up year after year, virtual gift exchange or not. — Dana Holmes, CNN Underscored, "How to host your own jolly virtual gift exchange," 18 Nov. 2020 Slide-out stands are easy to stow during transit and take only seconds to set up as reinforcement to the slider’s native cantilever system. — The Editors, Outdoor Life, "3 Ways to Level Any Camper, Truck, or RV," 11 Nov. 2020 Clocking in at a little over two pounds, this option is lightweight enough to stow in the trunk of your car. — Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, "The Universe May Have Actually Started With the Big Bounce—Not a Bang," 14 Dec. 2020 Visitors who must stow backpacks and smaller valuables leave their gear there, then loop back around to the entrance. — Dewayne Bevil, orlandosentinel.com, "Universal: New lockers relieve logjam for Harry Potter ride," 10 Dec. 2020 Make sure your layers are easy to take off and put back on, and leave enough room in your pack to stow them away. — oregonlive, "What you need to stay safe for a day of winter recreation in Oregon," 8 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stow.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of stow

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for stow

Verb

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about stow

Time Traveler for stow

Time Traveler

The first known use of stow was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Statistics for stow

Last Updated

25 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Stow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stow. Accessed 27 Jan. 2021.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for stow

stow

verb
How to pronounce Stow (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of stow

: to put (something that is not being used) in a place where it is available, where it can be kept safely, etc.

See the full definition for stow in the English Language Learners Dictionary

stow

verb
\ ˈstō How to pronounce stow (audio) \
stowed; stowing

Kids Definition of stow

1 : to put away : store He stowed his belongings in the closet.
2 : load entry 2 sense 1 The ship was stowed before the voyage.
stow away
: to hide on a vehicle (as a ship) in order to travel without paying or being seen

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on stow

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for stow

Nglish: Translation of stow for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of stow for Arabic Speakers

Comments on stow

What made you want to look up stow? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

itinerant

Listen to the pronunciation of itinerant

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times

  • ducreux self portrait yawning
  • What is an earlier meaning of nice?
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Typeshift

Anagram puzzles meet word search.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games