tower

play

noun tow·er \ˈtau̇(-ə)r\

Definition of tower

1 : a building or structure typically higher than its diameter and high relative to its surroundings that may stand apart (such as a campanile) or be attached (such as a church belfry) to a larger structure and that may be fully walled in or of skeleton framework (such as an observation or transmission tower)
2 : a towering citadel : fortress
3 : one that provides support or protection : bulwark a tower of strength
4 : a personal computer case that stands in an upright position

towered

play \ˈtau̇(-ə)rd\ adjective

towerlike

play \ˈtau̇(-ə)r-ˌlīk\ adjective

See tower defined for English-language learners

See tower defined for kids

Examples of tower in a Sentence

a hill from which one can gaze upon the towers of that great and historic city

Recent Examples of tower from the Web

Some deals are being scrapped under scrutiny—as was the case, in January, with a tower in the Black Sea resort of Batumi.

— The Economist, "Not one to avoid a conflictHow Donald Trump is monetising his presidency," 20 July 2017
And construction of a new apartment tower across the street forces him to flee his own home.

— winnie hu, New York Times, "New York Becomes the City That Never Shuts Up," 19 July 2017
Or head to Mbar, 14 stories up in the South Lake Union tower.

— tan vinh, The Seattle Times, "Happy Hour: Places for drinks with a view," 18 July 2017
When the global financial crisis did hit, the family was forced to sell the tower’s retail space for $525 million.

— vanityfair.com, "Is Jared Kushner Punishing Qatar Over a Soured Real-Estate Deal?," 10 July 2017
Of looking through the shiny new towers and having sepia dreams of what the buildings must have looked like when my grandfather left it behind.

— karissa chen, Longreads, "My Grandfather’s Fateful Goodbye, Reimagined," 8 July 2017
Investigations concluded that the failures were not due to the reliance on renewables but rather to the collapse of transmission towers in one case and unexpected power demands in another.

— dennis normile, Science | AAAS, "Tesla to build titanic battery facility," 7 July 2017
Fire safety experts expressed shock at how quickly the public housing tower block became engulfed in flames after a blaze began in a refrigerator.

— jill lawless, The Seattle Times, "Retired judge to lead inquiry into deadly London tower fire," 29 June 2017
But the world will miss a pop star of her class and caliber; after all, this is a woman who turned out to support victims of the London tower fire incognito, and shares this kind of message at her concerts:

— lilian min, Cosmopolitan, "Adele Says She May Never Tour Again in a Heartfelt Note to Fans," 29 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of tower

Middle English tour, tor, from Old English torr & Anglo-French tur, tour, both from Latin turris, from Greek tyrris, tyrsis

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

tower

verb tow·er

Definition of tower

intransitive verb
1 : to reach or rise to a great height
2 : to exhibit superior qualities : surpass her intellect towered over the others'

See tower defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of tower from the Web

There have been times when the Celtics, the Bulls, the Lakers, the Spurs and the Heat have towered over their competition.

— adam lauridsen, Fast Break, "An Open Letter to Bored NBA Writers," 7 June 2017
Provided by Hobart Police Jeri Woods Columns & opinion Less than 50 miles southeast of Chicago is a 15-mile stretch of shifting sands and towering dunes formed over the centuries by the forces of nature.

— ruth ann krause, Chicago Tribune, "Northwest Indiana," 20 May 2017
Here's what the building would look like towering over Central Park.

— lauren smith, House Beautiful, "This Insane U-Shaped Skyscraper Is Breaking Our Minds," 24 Mar. 2017
Samuelson is another towering figure in long-distance history, the first women's Olympic marathon winner and a two-time champion in Boston.

— martin fennelly, Tampa Bay Times, "First Gasparilla men's champ Bill Rodgers still laces up the sneakers," 21 Feb. 2017

First Known Use of tower

15th century

TOWER Defined for English Language Learners

tower

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noun

Definition of tower for English Language Learners

: a tall, narrow building or structure that may stand apart from or be attached to another building or structure
: a tall piece of furniture used to store something
computers : a personal computer that stands in an upright position

TOWER Defined for Kids

tower

play

noun tow·er \ˈtau̇-ər\

Definition of tower for Students

: a building or structure that is higher than its length or width, is higher than most of what surrounds it, and may stand by itself or be attached to a larger structure