plural stacks
1
: a large usually conical pile (as of hay, straw, or grain in the sheaf) left standing in the field for storage
2
a
: an orderly pile or heap
b
: a large quantity or number
3
: an English unit of measure especially for firewood that is equal to 108 cubic feet
4
a
: a number of flues embodied in one structure rising above a roof
b
: a vertical pipe (as to carry off smoke)
c
: the exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine
5
a
: a structure of bookshelves for compact storage of books
—usually used in plural
b
stacks plural
: a section of a building housing such structures
6
: a pile of poker chips
7
a
: a memory or a section of memory in a computer for temporary storage in which the last item stored is the first retrieved
also
: a data structure that simulates a stack
a push-down stack
b
: a computer memory consisting of arrays of memory elements stacked one on top of another
stacked; stacking; stacks
1
a
: to arrange in a stack : pile
b
: to pile in or on
stacked the table with books
stack the dishwasher
2
a
: to arrange secretly for cheating
stack a deck of cards
b
: to arrange or fix so as to make a particular result likely
the odds are stacked against us
will stack juries to suit themselves—
Patrice Horn
Patrice Horn3
a
: to assign (an airplane) by radio to a particular altitude and position within a group circling before landing
b
: to put into a waiting line
another dozen rigs are stacked up and waiting—P. H. Hutchins, Jr.
P. H. Hutchins, Jr.4
: compare
—used with against
such a crime is nothing when stacked against a murder—Pete Censky
Pete Censky
: to form a stack
stacker
noun
Synonyms
Noun
- abundance
- barrel
- basketful
- boatload
- bucket
- bunch
- bundle
- bushel
- carload
- chunk
- deal
- dozen
- fistful
- gobs
- good deal
- heap
- hundred
- lashings [chiefly British]
- lashins
- loads
- lot
- mass
- mess
- mountain
- much
- multiplicity
- myriad
- oodles
- pack
- passel
- peck
- pile
- plateful
- plenitude
- plentitude
- plenty
- pot
- potful
- profusion
- quantity
- raft
- reams
- scads
- sheaf
- shipload
- sight
- slew
- spate
- store
- ton
- truckload
- volume
- wad
- wealth
- yard
Verb
Examples of stack in a Sentence
Noun
He had arranged the letters in stacks.
She took a magazine from near the top of the stack.
Verb
She spent the afternoon splitting and stacking firewood.
She stacked the plates in the cupboard.
He stacked the books on the table.
The other players accused him of stacking the deck.
Recent Examples on the WebIEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2024
But for the fashion aficionados and jewelry fanatics that keep up with the latest style trends, earring stacks are definite must-try.
—Mekaylah Yowpp-Hernacki, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2024
But LaBerge said the Disney+ tech stack supports the delivery of live channels, noting that ESPN networks will be added to Disney+ in LatAm this summer.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
Adding layers of jewelry from stacks of dainty to chunky necklaces is the way to go when styling a plain or even printed tube top.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 27 Mar. 2024
Video footage shows a sudden outpouring of smoke from the vessel’s stack, indicating a change in engine activity of some kind.
—Chris Baraniuk, WIRED, 26 Mar. 2024
Optimizing and updating their technology stack can maximize the benefits of integrating cloud storage and AI, ushering in a new era of efficiency and innovation in production workflows.
—Dave Friend, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Her signature bohemian flair found its way into her jewelry — large hoop earrings and stacks of bracelets — and her soft wavy hairstyle.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
Brian Davis, assistant director and case manager for the Zoning Overlay District drafting, sat before the Planning Commission Thursday night with a stack of binders and folders nearly a foot tall ahead of the hearing.
—Connor Giffin, The Courier-Journal, 25 Mar. 2024
Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 10 Apr. 2024
To up the ante, Waters’ renegade film called for three 8mm projectors running simultaneously, the images stacked one on top of another.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
Multiple items can stack the 10-cent discount at a maximum of 30 cents per gallon (meaning three eligible items bought).
—Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
The city itself is known for its colorful wooden houses—a rainbow of rusty red, royal blue, sunny yellow and earthy green, each stacked prettily along the waterfront.
—Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2024
Push-Up Katie Thompson Start in a high plank with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and core and glutes engaged.
—Christa Sgobba, SELF, 2 Apr. 2024
Inside the narrow nook, terracotta pots are artfully arranged and stacked on shelves against the walls, along the radiator and even on the windowsill.
—Essence, 2 Apr. 2024
Some people think that there is a correlation between price and abandon: the cheaper the buffet, the higher the customers stack their plates.
—Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
Babies develop hand-eye coordination by banging, nesting, stacking, and rolling these cups around.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024
Noun
The wearable reader is a magnetic-signal transmitter-receiver about the size of a stack of three or four American Kennedy half-dollars or E.U. 10 Euro collector coins.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2024
But for the fashion aficionados and jewelry fanatics that keep up with the latest style trends, earring stacks are definite must-try.
—Mekaylah Yowpp-Hernacki, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2024
But LaBerge said the Disney+ tech stack supports the delivery of live channels, noting that ESPN networks will be added to Disney+ in LatAm this summer.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
Adding layers of jewelry from stacks of dainty to chunky necklaces is the way to go when styling a plain or even printed tube top.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 27 Mar. 2024
Video footage shows a sudden outpouring of smoke from the vessel’s stack, indicating a change in engine activity of some kind.
—Chris Baraniuk, WIRED, 26 Mar. 2024
Optimizing and updating their technology stack can maximize the benefits of integrating cloud storage and AI, ushering in a new era of efficiency and innovation in production workflows.
—Dave Friend, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Her signature bohemian flair found its way into her jewelry — large hoop earrings and stacks of bracelets — and her soft wavy hairstyle.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
Brian Davis, assistant director and case manager for the Zoning Overlay District drafting, sat before the Planning Commission Thursday night with a stack of binders and folders nearly a foot tall ahead of the hearing.
—Connor Giffin, The Courier-Journal, 25 Mar. 2024
Verb
Later in the day, look for a menu stacked with dishes such as carnitas ($15), pozole rojo ($13) and flautas de tinga ($10).
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 10 Apr. 2024
To up the ante, Waters’ renegade film called for three 8mm projectors running simultaneously, the images stacked one on top of another.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
Multiple items can stack the 10-cent discount at a maximum of 30 cents per gallon (meaning three eligible items bought).
—Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
The city itself is known for its colorful wooden houses—a rainbow of rusty red, royal blue, sunny yellow and earthy green, each stacked prettily along the waterfront.
—Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2024
Push-Up Katie Thompson Start in a high plank with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and core and glutes engaged.
—Christa Sgobba, SELF, 2 Apr. 2024
Inside the narrow nook, terracotta pots are artfully arranged and stacked on shelves against the walls, along the radiator and even on the windowsill.
—Essence, 2 Apr. 2024
Some people think that there is a correlation between price and abandon: the cheaper the buffet, the higher the customers stack their plates.
—Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
Babies develop hand-eye coordination by banging, nesting, stacking, and rolling these cups around.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stack.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near stack
Cite this Entry
“Stack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stack. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stack
1 of 2 noun1
: a large pile (as of hay, straw, or grain) usually shaped like a cone
2
a
: an orderly pile of objects usually one on top of the other
a stack of dishes
b
: a large number or amount
4
: a structure with shelves for storing books
—usually used in plural
stack
2 of 2 verb
: to arrange in or form a stack : pile
stacked the dishes on the table
stacker
noun
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