How to pronounce stow
Say it like STOH. Stow is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce stow. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STOH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Stow pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of stow
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: STOH.
What does stow mean?
- A place, stead.
- To put something away in a compact and tidy manner, in its proper place, or in a suitable place.
- To store or pack something in a space-saving manner and over a long time.
- To arrange, pack, or fill something tightly or closely.
Where does stow come from?
From Middle English stowe, from Old English stōw (“place, location”), from Proto-West Germanic *stōu, from Proto-Germanic *stōō (“a place, stowage”), from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand, place, put”).
Words that rhyme with stow
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of stow.
Questions about saying stow
How do you pronounce stow?
Say STOH. The American pronunciation is /stoʊ/. In British English it is /stəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in stow?
Stow is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: STOH.
Is stow pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /stəʊ/ (STOH).