stow

verb

stowed; stowing; stows

transitive verb

1
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

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
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.
Australia’s Feline Invasion Began As The First British Ships Reached The Shore Cats were initially stowed aboard ships of the First Fleet to keep rat populations in check. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025 There’s also plenty of storage space as well: the top compartment has ample room to stow your hiking essentials, while the main compartment, with the dedicated cooler section, can accommodate additional gear when the cooler is removed. Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2025 Tensions initially began to rise on the flight when the woman part of the couple was asked by a flight attendant to stow her handbag away properly before taking off during a pre-flight check, national publication Dimsum Daily reported. Escher Walcott, People.com, 16 Feb. 2025 Students have already found ways to get around cellphone bans at Los Angeles public schools The bans, which went into effect mid-February at hundreds of L.A. Unified schools, have been partly enforced by having students stow their cellphones in a locking neoprene pouch. Christian Orozco, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stow

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

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stow. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

stow

verb
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

city in northeastern Ohio northeast of Akron population 34,837

Biographical Definition

Stow

biographical name

John 1525–1605 English historian and antiquarian

More from Merriam-Webster on stow

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