stockpile

1 of 2

noun

stock·​pile ˈstäk-ˌpī(-ə)l 

: a storage pile: such as

a

: a reserve supply of something essential accumulated within a country for use during a shortage

b

: a gradually accumulated reserve of something

avert stockpiles of unsold cars

—Bert Pierce

stockpile

2 of 2

verb

stockpiled; stockpiling; stockpiles

transitive verb

1

: to place or store in or on a stockpile

2

: to accumulate a stockpile of

a country suspected of stockpiling weapons

stockpiler noun

Synonyms

Noun

• cache
• hoard
• stash
• store

Verb

• cache
• hoard
• lay away
• lay by
• lay in
• lay up
• put by
• salt away
• squirrel (away)
• stash
• store
• stow
• treasure

Examples of stockpile in a Sentence

Noun

a stockpile of medical supplies

an emergency stockpile of potable water and canned goods in the cellar

Verb

The government stockpiled vaccines to prepare for a flu epidemic.

we should be able to stockpile enough vaccine for the upcoming flu season

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

To that end, President Trump signed an executive order directing his administration to investigate creation of a national digital asset stockpile. —Jj Kinahan, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025

President Trump orders a crypto working group to draft new regulations and explore the possibility of a national stockpile. —Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025

Verb

Chinese companies have been stockpiling thousands of Nvidia chips as the Biden administration increased export controls. —Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025

The Heat want to remain competitive while also stockpiling draft picks and flexibility. —Zach Harper, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1872, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1921, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

stockpile

noun

stock·​pile

ˈstäk-ˌpīl

: an extra supply especially of something necessary accumulated within a country for use during a shortage

stockpile verb