cupboard

noun

cup·​board ˈkə-bərd How to pronounce cupboard (audio)
: a closet with shelves where dishes, utensils, or food is kept
also : a small closet

Examples of cupboard in a Sentence

the colonial dining room features a double-door corner cupboard for the family's finest china dishes go in the cupboard next to the sink
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.
The war in Ukraine also exposed just how bare Washington’s military cupboard is. Michael Brown, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025 Luck is a necessity when an NBA team begins a rebuild without a top-flight star to trade and without extra future first-round draft picks in its cupboard, as the Wizards did two years ago. Josh Robbins, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025 Keep them shiny and spot-free with common household ingredients already in your cupboard, for a handsome set that will last for years. Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2025 The Steelers gave up their 2025 second-round pick in a trade for D.K. Metcalf, so the team may not want to empty the cupboard even more. MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cupboard

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cupboard was in 1530

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cupboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cupboard. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

cupboard

noun
cup·​board ˈkəb-ərd How to pronounce cupboard (audio)
: a closet with shelves for cups, dishes, or food

More from Merriam-Webster on cupboard

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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