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

In 2017, the three then-commodity traders had amassed a stockpile of Nvidia chips to mine cryptocurrency for their new company, Atlantic Crypto. —Phoebe Liu, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025

There’s also no major stockpile of tents in Gaza, said Shaina Low, communications adviser for the Norwegian Refugee Council. —Julia Frankel, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025

Verb

Rainwater tends to stockpile on the edges of roads. —Ca Weather Bot, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2025

Some retailers are stockpiling inventory to soften the blow, but that strategy only buys time. —Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1872, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1921, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stockpile

• argyle
• awhile
• beguile
• compile
• condyle
• defile
• erstwhile
• exile
• freestyle
• gentile
• hairstyle
• lifestyle

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