stow

verb

ˈstō 

stowed; stowing; stows

transitive verb

1

: house, lodge

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

Synonyms

• keep
• put up
• reposit
• store

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

The removable 936-Wh battery stowed in the downtube is reckoned good for up to 88 miles (142 km) of per-charge range at the lowest assist level. —New Atlas, 10 Jan. 2025

Instead, Lower gave away most of her belongings, stowed the rest in a trailer and drove off to join Circus Flora in St. Louis, singing and playing the ukulele. —Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025

The regalia had been hidden for 85 years—since it was stowed for safekeeping beneath the Vilnius Cathedral in southeastern Lithuania. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025

Plus Rides has created an electric scooter that rolls, folds, charges, and stows better than other scooters on the market. —Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025

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

Phrases Containing stow

• stow away

Kids Definition

stow

verb

ˈstō 

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

ˈstō 

city in northeastern Ohio northeast of Akron population 34,837

Biographical Definition

Stow

biographical name

ˈstō 

John 1525–1605 English historian and antiquarian