noun A2 Elementary Uncommon

cupboard

KUHB-uhd

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Cupboard (noun) means a cabinet or small closet with doors and shelves, used to store dishes, food, or other household items. Example: “The plates and bowls are kept in the cupboard above the sink.”

noun

A cabinet or small closet with doors and shelves, used to store dishes, food, or other household items.

"Put the cups back into the cupboard."

"Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept." — Joanne Kathleen Rowling, The Vanishing Glass (1997)

"The plates and bowls are kept in the cupboard above the sink."

"She checked the cupboard for a tin of soup."

How to use cupboard

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA small cabinet, usually built into a kitchen wall, for storing dishes or food.

UK vs US

British English uses "cupboard" broadly for kitchen and household storage cabinets; American English more often says "cabinet" for the same thing, reserving "cupboard" mainly for kitchen use.

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Plural: cupboards
Third person singular: cupboards
Past tense: cupboarded

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

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The plates and bowls are kept in the _____ above the sink.

Etymology

Originally meant a board or table for displaying valuable dishware — literally a "cup board." Over time the pronunciation shifted and the word came to mean an enclosed storage cabinet instead of an open display shelf.

Synonyms

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closet pantry larder

Related words

press bathroom cabinet closet wardrobe loo pantry larder

Rhymes for cupboard

board hoard aboard onboard keyboard outboard seaboard backboard starboard cardboard surfboard clipboard

See all rhymes for cupboard →

Frequently asked questions

What does “cupboard” mean?

The word “cupboard” means a cabinet or small closet with doors and shelves, used to store dishes, food, or other household items. In plain terms, a small cabinet, usually built into a kitchen wall, for storing dishes or food.

How do you pronounce “cupboard”?

“Cupboard” is pronounced KUHB-uhd (/ˈkʌb.ɚd/ in IPA).

How do you use “cupboard” in a sentence?

Here is “cupboard” used in a sentence: “The plates and bowls are kept in the cupboard above the sink.”

What is another word for “cupboard”?

Words with a similar meaning to “cupboard” include pantry and larder.

What part of speech is “cupboard”?

“Cupboard” is a noun.

Is “cupboard” a common word?

“Cupboard” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

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