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.
Long baskets can be perfect for stowing bags of chips, cookies, or nuts in deep spaces. Kelsey Mulvey, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2025 Family Friendliness: The Panamera seats four passengers with only two rear seats; however, there are full sets of lower anchors and upper tethers in both seats and plenty of footwell room for stowing tote bags. Scotty Reiss, Parents, 6 Feb. 2025 This spacious duffle does great as an overhead carry-on or stowed in his trunk for a weekend road trip. Annie Blackman, Allure, 29 Jan. 2025 Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner. Senitra Horbrook, CNBC, 21 Jan. 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 3 Mar. 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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