stew

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈstü How to pronounce stew (audio)
ˈstyü
1
obsolete : a utensil used for boiling
2
: a hot bath
3
a
b
: a district of brothels
usually used in plural
4
a
: fish or meat usually with vegetables prepared by stewing
b(1)
: a heterogeneous mixture
(2)
: a state of heat and congestion
5
: a state of excitement, worry, or confusion

stew

2 of 3

verb

stewed; stewing; stews

transitive verb

: to boil slowly or with simmering heat

intransitive verb

1
: to become cooked by stewing
2
: to swelter especially from confinement in a hot or stuffy atmosphere
3
: to be in a state of suppressed agitation, worry, or resentment

stew

3 of 3

noun (2)

Examples of stew in a Sentence

Verb The meat still needs to stew. a can of stewed tomatoes She's been stewing over what he said for days.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Beef and Stout Stew Beef, vegetables and stout join forces to create a surprising depth of flavor in this hearty stew. Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Nearby, women cook stew and knead dough to make bread in the neighborhood, where palm trees dot the horizon. Sana Noor Haq, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 All of this and more will come together in an ugly stew of trouble. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024 Over in Dragonstone, a sullen man named Stannis stews. Darren Franich, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 Like its iconic gumbo, New Orleans is a fascinating cultural stew. Lanee Lee, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Soups and stews: Pick out the meat and toss into a soup or stew for the last five minutes of cooking time. Coastal Living, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2024 Choices include baked fish cakes, corned beef and cabbage, lamb and dumpling stew, and shepherd’s pie. Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 1 Mar. 2024 Despite the emphasis on meat, vegetarians can choose rice bowls, hot stone pots, kimchee stews, or cold bowls with rice and an assortment of vegetables. Gary Stern, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Verb
The dog's owner apparently stewed over the death of his family's beloved pet, Gypsy, for weeks. Tim Evans, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Mar. 2024 Rather than just stew silently, Lea decides to confront Madina for not being more upset about Sydney’s departure. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 12 Feb. 2024 The 85-year-old tossed and turned until 5 a.m., stewing over the criticism of the team from broadcasters and others. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2024 Forever They are often stewed foods, sometimes steamed or boiled. Hazlitt, 14 Feb. 2024 The problem has been stewing since well before the pandemic, worsening in recent years. Leanne Italie, Twin Cities, 10 Feb. 2024 Jones let things stew for a few days before announcing that McCarthy would return for 2024. Clarence E. Hill Jr., Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Jan. 2024 He’s just spent more time stewing about it, and his damage is a little more severe, so it’s driven him to a more extreme conclusion. Selome Hailu, Variety, 31 Jan. 2024 Her fierce portrayal of Laura Ferrari, a woman consumed by grief over the death of her son and stewing with resentment over the dismissive way her husband and others treat her, was one of the highlights of the film. Glenn Whipp, Twin Cities, 28 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stew.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English stewe heated room for a steam bath, from Anglo-French estuve, from Vulgar Latin *extufa — more at stove

Noun (2)

short for stewardess

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (2)

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stew was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near stew

Cite this Entry

“Stew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stew. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stew

1 of 2 noun
1
: food (as meat with vegetables) prepared by slow boiling
2
: a state of excitement, worry, or confusion
in a stew over nothing

stew

2 of 2 verb
1
: to boil slowly : simmer
2
: to become excited or worried : fret

More from Merriam-Webster on stew

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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