stow

verb

ˈstō 

stowed; stowing; stows

transitive verb

1

: house, lodge

2

a

: to put away for future use : store

b

obsolete : to lock up for safekeeping : confine

3

a

: to dispose in an orderly fashion : arrange, pack

b

: load

4

slang : to put aside : stop

5

a

archaic : crowd

b

: to eat or drink up

—usually used with away

stowed away a huge dinner

Synonyms

• keep
• put up
• reposit
• store

Examples of stow in a Sentence

He stowed his gear in a locker.

Luggage may be stowed under the seat.

Recent Examples on the Web

One of these wheels will be exposed the entire mission, while the second will remain stowed until science operations begin on the lunar surface, post-landing. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 14 Jan. 2025

Whether stowed in a recipe tin, pasted in a book, or safely tucked away in a memory, family recipes are part of what makes cooking so special. —Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2025

Two men from The Bahamas face cocaine-smuggling charges after U.S. Customs agents stopped their boat off Pompano Beach last week and found almost 190 kilograms of cocaine stowed on board, according to federal prosecutors. —David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2025

This 12-inch style fits comfortably on tables and countertops and is a breeze to stow. —Ali Faccenda, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to place, from stowe place, from Old English stōw; akin to Old Frisian stō place, Greek stylos pillar — more at steer

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing stow

• stow away

Kids Definition

stow

verb

ˈstō 

1

: to put away : store

stowed their belongings in the closet

2

a

: arrange sense 1, pack

quickly stowed the cargo

b

: load entry 2 sense 1a

stowed the ships to capacity

3

: to eat or drink up

stow away a meal

Geographical Definition

Stow

geographical name

ˈstō 

city in northeastern Ohio northeast of Akron population 34,837

Biographical Definition

Stow

biographical name

ˈstō 

John 1525–1605 English historian and antiquarian