1
a
: a case or cupboard usually having doors and shelves
a kitchen cabinet
a medicine cabinet
b
: a collection of specimens especially of biological or numismatic interest
a butterfly display cabinet
c
d
: a chamber having temperature and humidity controls and used especially for incubating biological samples
2
a
archaic
: a small room providing seclusion
b
: a small exhibition room in a museum
3
a
archaic
(1)
: the private room serving as council chamber of the chief councillors or ministers of a sovereign
(2)
: the consultations and actions of these councillors
b(1)
often capitalized
: a body of advisers of a head of state
the president's cabinet
(2)
: a similar advisory council of a governor of a state or a mayor
c
British
: a meeting of a cabinet
4
New England
: milkshake
1
: of or relating to a governmental cabinet (see cabinet entry 1 sense 3b)
held a cabinet meeting
2
: suitable by reason of size for a small room or by reason of attractiveness or perfection for preservation and display in a cabinet
porcelain cabinet plates
3
a
: used or adapted for cabinetmaking
b
: done or used by a cabinetmaker
Synonyms
Examples of cabinet in a Sentence
Noun
a member of the President's Cabinet
the most precious knickknacks were kept in a cabinet with glass doors
Recent Examples on the Web
Louisa Loveluck, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Sit at the bar where antique travel trunk paneling and alchemist-style cabinets play homage to old, worn charm.
—Stacey Wreathall, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2024
Amid strong rebukes from its allies, the strikes may also have played a role in Israel’s security cabinet approving the reopening of the Erez crossing into Gaza, which has been closed since the October 7 Hamas attacks.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
The only things in their cabinets were some antibiotic ointment and over-the-counter allergy medicine.
—Julia Michie Bruckner, Discover Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
Senior ministers in the current Israeli cabinet have gone so far as to speak not only of annexing Gaza but of removing Palestinians from the territory.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2024
Benny Gantz, who is a part of the prime minister's war cabinet, is the leader of the opposition party in Israel.
—Mansee Khurana, NPR, 4 Apr. 2024
The government is facing a new crisis over exemptions of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from military service, an issue that is splitting opinion within the prime minister's own cabinet.
—Maayan Lubell and Emily Rose, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024
There are only 150 bottles available, each a Baccarat crystal decanter with 24-karat gold infused into the stopper that comes in a leather carrying case which opens like a cabinet.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2024
Carlos Valdez, Star Tribune, 13 Mar. 2021
For example, the former president is backing his ex-cabinet member Rogerio Marinho’s bid to lead the Senate in a key election Wednesday.
—Maria Luiza Rabello, Bloomberg.com, 1 Feb. 2023
Putnam oversaw cross-cabinet reforms in health policy, human services delivery system design, workforce strategies, and child welfare improvements while leading an organization with more than 8,000 employees and a budget exceeding $14 billion.
—Stephen Simpson, Arkansas Online, 28 Dec. 2022
And Vivek Murthy was confirmed as surgeon general, a sub-cabinet level position.
—USA Today, 3 June 2021
President Biden has tapped Mr. Kahl for undersecretary of defense for policy, one of the most important non-cabinet jobs in the federal government.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 8 Mar. 2021
Noun
Israel-Gaza war Israel’s war cabinet announced the opening of the Erez border crossing to allow more aid into Gaza.
—Louisa Loveluck, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Sit at the bar where antique travel trunk paneling and alchemist-style cabinets play homage to old, worn charm.
—Stacey Wreathall, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2024
Amid strong rebukes from its allies, the strikes may also have played a role in Israel’s security cabinet approving the reopening of the Erez crossing into Gaza, which has been closed since the October 7 Hamas attacks.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
The only things in their cabinets were some antibiotic ointment and over-the-counter allergy medicine.
—Julia Michie Bruckner, Discover Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
Senior ministers in the current Israeli cabinet have gone so far as to speak not only of annexing Gaza but of removing Palestinians from the territory.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2024
Benny Gantz, who is a part of the prime minister's war cabinet, is the leader of the opposition party in Israel.
—Mansee Khurana, NPR, 4 Apr. 2024
The government is facing a new crisis over exemptions of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from military service, an issue that is splitting opinion within the prime minister's own cabinet.
—Maayan Lubell and Emily Rose, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024
There are only 150 bottles available, each a Baccarat crystal decanter with 24-karat gold infused into the stopper that comes in a leather carrying case which opens like a cabinet.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Those include several ex-cabinet ministers, as well as former military leader William Kaliman and the police chief who had urged Morales to resign in November 2019 after the country was swept by protests against the country's first Indigenous president.
—Carlos Valdez, Star Tribune, 13 Mar. 2021
For example, the former president is backing his ex-cabinet member Rogerio Marinho’s bid to lead the Senate in a key election Wednesday.
—Maria Luiza Rabello, Bloomberg.com, 1 Feb. 2023
Putnam oversaw cross-cabinet reforms in health policy, human services delivery system design, workforce strategies, and child welfare improvements while leading an organization with more than 8,000 employees and a budget exceeding $14 billion.
—Stephen Simpson, Arkansas Online, 28 Dec. 2022
And Vivek Murthy was confirmed as surgeon general, a sub-cabinet level position.
—USA Today, 3 June 2021
President Biden has tapped Mr. Kahl for undersecretary of defense for policy, one of the most important non-cabinet jobs in the federal government.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 8 Mar. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cabinet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Cabinet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cabinet. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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