as in hijacker
someone who hides on a ship, airplane, etc., in order to travel without paying or being seen
A stowaway was discovered on the ship.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stowaway
Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 17 Nov. 2025
Wheel wells are a common spot for stowaways to enter airplanes, and nearly 80% don’t survive the flight, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2025
Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Nov. 2025
Over 77 percent of people who have tried to stow away on a plane have lost their lives, the Federal Aviation Administration previously said, per CNN.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stowaway
Noun
Undeterred, Winnie hops onboard as a stowaway.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 17 Nov. 2025
Wheel wells are a common spot for stowaways to enter airplanes, and nearly 80% don’t survive the flight, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
Use the containers to stow away your pet's grooming tools, medications, outerwear, costumes, or backup toys.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Nov. 2025
Over 77 percent of people who have tried to stow away on a plane have lost their lives, the Federal Aviation Administration previously said, per CNN.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stowaway
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stowaway
Noun
-
The hijacker was killed when Turkish commandos stormed the airliner and freed the 40 passengers and crew.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Lint rollers are also an excellent tool at at removing hitchhiking bed bugs from your person or belongings, adds Wilson.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Black had contact with many people in town while hitchhiking back and forth.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For months, this young, rambunctious, and altogether infectious bunch played with house money, thumbing their collective noses at the idea of another year of rebuild futility.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
When the Chicago Tribune went after him, stirring up the first of many federal, state, and local investigations into Robinson's activities, Noah thumbed his nose.—
Gail Sheehy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Without optimism, some evolutionary biologists argue, this incredible ability would have largely gone to waste, hijacked by a persistent belief that the future was less important than whatever was lurking behind the bushes, ready to pounce, right now.—
Dr. Deepika Chopra,
Flow Space,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Freedom will also be tested by whether the Yemeni people, who were hijacked by the Houthis, are freed from the shackles of that Iranian proxy.—
Felice Friedson,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Other songwriters might opt to wring notes of sadness from the whole squad getting hitched, but this one is winking at the listener, signifying the end of his seclusion in Europe and the embrace of fans who haven’t had an audience with him in a long time.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The clerk only found out who was getting hitched when the bride told her that her new surname would be Bessette-Kennedy.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stowaway.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stowaway. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
