verb

stow

stoh

Stow (verb) means to pack or put something away neatly, especially in a compact space. Example: “Please stow your tray table before landing.”

verb

To pack or put something away neatly, especially in a compact space.

"Please stow your tray table before landing."

"They stowed the camping gear in the back of the van."

How to use stow

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo pack something away carefully, usually to save space.

Common pairings

stow away stow luggage stow gear

Word forms

stowed past tense, stows plural, stows singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

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

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Please _____ your tray table before landing.

Etymology

From Old English stōw ("place, location"), from a very old Germanic and Indo-European root meaning "to stand" or "to put in place".

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for stow

tow

See all rhymes for stow →

Frequently asked questions

What does “stow” mean?

The word “stow” means to pack or put something away neatly, especially in a compact space. In plain terms, to pack something away carefully, usually to save space.

How do you pronounce “stow”?

“Stow” is pronounced stoh (/stoʊ/ in IPA).

How do you use “stow” in a sentence?

Here is “stow” used in a sentence: “Please stow your tray table before landing.”

What part of speech is “stow”?

“Stow” is a verb.

Where does the word “stow” come from?

The word “stow” comes from Old English. From Old English stōw ("place, location"), from a very old Germanic and Indo-European root meaning "to stand" or "to put in place".

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include stow:

Words that end with W