stowaway

1 of 2

noun

stow·​away ˈstō-ə-ˌwā 

: 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

Few people take them seriously, in other words, which means musicals have a greater chance than, say, film or opera or theater, of those stowaway messages being intercepted. — Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 8 July 2026

Eventually, the stowaway cactus drops off and becomes a new individual. — Philip Anderson, The Conversation, 8 July 2026

Verb

Then, accessorize with a simple black thong sandal and woven handbag—two end-of-summer staples not to stow away just yet. — Laura Jackson, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026

Native to southeast Asia, the beetle has infested every continent bar Antarctica, according to a study published in the Journal of Pest Science in June, stowing away in wood products, live plants and packaging materials. — Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1848, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1879, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stowaway

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

Kids Definition

stowaway

1 of 2 noun

stow·​away ˈstō-ə-ˌwā 

: one who stows away : an unregistered passenger

stow away

2 of 2 verb

ˌstō-ə-ˈwā

: to hide aboard a vehicle to obtain transportation