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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

stockpile

STOK-pyl

Stockpile (noun) means a large stored supply of something kept for future use. Example: “The government maintains a stockpile of emergency food supplies.”

noun
1
A large stored supply of something kept for future use.
"The government maintains a stockpile of emergency food supplies."
"Several nations reduced their nuclear stockpiles after the treaty."
verb
1
To gradually build up a large supply of something.
"People began stockpiling canned goods before the storm hit."

How to Use Stockpile

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA large reserve of something saved up for later, or the act of building one up.

Common pairings
stockpile supplies a weapons stockpile stockpile food

Word Forms

stockpiled past tense, stockpiles plural, stockpiles singular

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Test yourself on “stockpile” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

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Can you complete this real example?

The government maintains a _____ of emergency food supplies.

Etymology

A compound of "stock" (supply) and "pile" (a heap).

Related Words

Rhymes for stockpile

See all rhymes for stockpile →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “stockpile” mean?

The word “stockpile” means a large stored supply of something kept for future use. In plain terms, a large reserve of something saved up for later, or the act of building one up.

How do you pronounce “stockpile”?

“Stockpile” is pronounced STOK-pyl (/ˈstɑkˌpaɪl/ in IPA).

How do you use “stockpile” in a sentence?

Here is “stockpile” used in a sentence: “The government maintains a stockpile of emergency food supplies.”

What part of speech is “stockpile”?

Depending on how it is used, “stockpile” can be a noun and a verb.

Is “stockpile” a common word?

“Stockpile” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “stockpile” have?

“Stockpile” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large stored supply of something kept for future use.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial