stew 1 of 2

noun

ˈstü How to pronounce stew (audio)
Definition of stewnext
1
as in huff
a state of nervous or irritated concern many in town are in a stew about the proposed plan to close at least one of the elementary schools

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in stir
a state of noisy, confused activity the audience went into a stew when the evacuation order was announced

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in medley
an unorganized collection or mixture of various things the documentary looks at the stew of conspiracy theories inspired by the assassination

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in brothel
a building in which prostitutes are available a red-light district full of down and dirty stews

Synonyms & Similar Words

stew

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to boil
to cook in a liquid heated to the point that it gives off steam stew the chicken till tender, and then remove the meat from the bones

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to worry
to experience concern or anxiety stop stewing over that game and just try to do better next time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stew
Noun
The also British Rosa — that’s four Brits onboard — has years of experience, even as a chief stew. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026 Aisha and her sister Nadia had spent the afternoon kneeling over a camping stove, preparing a lamb-and-okra stew. — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
Just as Phillies fans will scream about my snub of Marsh, Dodgers fans will stew over my omission of Wrobleski, especially when Wheeler did not return from thoracic outlet surgery until April 25. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 2 July 2026 The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC appears noticeably more clear and less green in the weeks before the Fourth of July as renovation work continues, but controversy still stews. — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for stew
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stew
  1. huff
  2. stir
  3. medley
  4. brothel
  5. boil
  6. worry
  7. sweat
  8. commotion
Noun
  • Devers walked back to the dugout in a huff.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026
  • Not everyone feels the same way, however, and some progressive parents and staff are in a huff.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2026
Definition of huff
Noun
  • That's especially prevalent in the Oversized Graphic T-Shirt with enigmatic dates on the back -- those are already causing a stir in the fan community.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The Grammy winner’s online feud with Art of Play has caused quite a stir on the internet over the past few days.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of stir
Noun
  • After an opening medley that spans New Orleans jazz and bounce, the record’s signposts grow increasingly fuzzy.
    — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The monitoring detected a medley of air contaminants commonly associated with burning fossil fuels.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of medley
Noun
  • No longer confined to gambling dens and brothel districts, yakuza muscled their way into other businesses, some legal, some not.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • California crime The LAPD busted a secret network of brothels — but hasn’t arrested the owner.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of brothel
Verb
  • Water can now be used for all purposes without boiling, the department said.
    — CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • All residents and other property owners who have experienced water outages, low water pressure, or both, are advised to boil all water or use bottled water for drinking, cooking, preparing baby food or brushing their teeth, the news release said.
    — Reed Williams, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of boil
Verb
  • More than half of people using AI at work worried that using it on important tasks would create exactly that impression.
    — Christoph Trattner, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Opponents worry that the changes would mean less money getting invested in rural housing, precisely when housing affordability issues are hitting those areas the hardest.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of worry
Noun
  • Sebum, sweat, dead skin cells, and product buildup can accumulate over time, which is why effective cleansing is an essential part of the scalp’s wellbeing.
    — Laura Sandroni, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The outerwear, pants, shorts, sweats and T-shirts are created from high-end materials but designed to be classic and quiet.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of sweat
Noun
  • In the commotion, she was briefly separated from her 85-year-old mother, who lives with her.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That allowed passengers to hear the commotion and discover what was happening.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of commotion

Browse Nearby Words

stevedores
stew
steward
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stew.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stew. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on stew

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stew

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All