drawer

noun

draw·​er ˈdrȯ(-ə)r How to pronounce drawer (audio)
1
: one that draws: such as
a
: a person who causes liquor to come out of a container : one who draws (see draw entry 1 sense 1b) liquor
b
c
: one that draws (see draw entry 1 sense transitive 7) a bill of exchange or order for payment or makes a promissory note
2
 dialectal also  ˈdrȯ
: a sliding box or receptacle opened by pulling out and closed by pushing in
kept the letters in the top drawer of her dresser
in the silverware drawer
3
 dialectal also  ˈdrȯ
drawers plural : an article of clothing (such as underwear) for the lower body
a clean pair of drawers
drawerful noun

Examples of drawer in a Sentence

the top drawer of the desk There are some pens in my desk drawer. He stood there in only his drawers.
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.
Arriving patrol officers observed broken glass at the scene and were informed by a witness that a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and jeans and carrying a cash register drawer allegedly fled the store on foot heading toward Church Street, police said. Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2025 There was a level of fiscal irresponsibility that had gone for too many years: records stuffed into a thousand different drawers, and as for the bookkeeping…well, there was none. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025 Rid your drawers of unruly cartons with this bamboo bag organizer. Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Apr. 2025 The knobs on the stove, the refrigerator handles, the drawer pulls, and the kitchen light switches all need a good scrub and disinfecting. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for drawer

Word History

Etymology

Middle English drawer, draghere, from drawen "to draw entry 1" + -er, -ere -er entry 2

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of drawer was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drawer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drawer. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

drawer

noun
draw·​er ˈdrȯ(-ə)r How to pronounce drawer (audio)
1
: one that draws
2
: a sliding boxlike compartment (as in a desk)
3
plural : an undergarment for the lower part of the body

Legal Definition

drawer

noun
draw·​er ˈdrȯ-ər How to pronounce drawer (audio)
: the party that draws a draft compare drawee, payee

More from Merriam-Webster on drawer

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