plural stacks
1
: a large usually conical pile (as of hay, straw, or grain in the sheaf) left standing in the field for storage
2
a
: an orderly pile or heap
b
: a large quantity or number
3
: an English unit of measure especially for firewood that is equal to 108 cubic feet
4
a
: a number of flues embodied in one structure rising above a roof
b
: a vertical pipe (as to carry off smoke)
c
: the exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine
5
a
: a structure of bookshelves for compact storage of books
—usually used in plural
b
stacks plural
: a section of a building housing such structures
6
: a pile of poker chips
7
a
: a memory or a section of memory in a computer for temporary storage in which the last item stored is the first retrieved
also
: a data structure that simulates a stack
a push-down stack
b
: a computer memory consisting of arrays of memory elements stacked one on top of another
stacked; stacking; stacks
1
a
: to arrange in a stack : pile
b
: to pile in or on
stacked the table with books
stack the dishwasher
2
a
: to arrange secretly for cheating
stack a deck of cards
b
: to arrange or fix so as to make a particular result likely
the odds are stacked against us
will stack juries to suit themselves—
Patrice Horn
Patrice Horn3
a
: to assign (an airplane) by radio to a particular altitude and position within a group circling before landing
b
: to put into a waiting line
another dozen rigs are stacked up and waiting—P. H. Hutchins, Jr.
P. H. Hutchins, Jr.4
: compare
—used with against
such a crime is nothing when stacked against a murder—Pete Censky
Pete Censky
: to form a stack
stacker
noun
Examples of stack in a Sentence
Noun
He had arranged the letters in stacks.
She took a magazine from near the top of the stack.
Verb
She spent the afternoon splitting and stacking firewood.
She stacked the plates in the cupboard.
He stacked the books on the table.
The other players accused him of stacking the deck.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
The heavy stacks of cash fit into a pattern emerging throughout the trial as prosecutors attempt to paint Combs as a man spoiled by success, able to hide a tendency for abuse and criminality through a large staff and an ever-larger fortune.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 4 June 2025
Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 6 June 2025
Weekend writing sessions can stack into thousands per month.
—Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stack
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
The unknowns in stacks of worms As the next step, Perez said her team would like to learn whether the formation of these structures is a cooperative or competitive behavior.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
The heavy stacks of cash fit into a pattern emerging throughout the trial as prosecutors attempt to paint Combs as a man spoiled by success, able to hide a tendency for abuse and criminality through a large staff and an ever-larger fortune.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 4 June 2025
Verb
This merry, hour-long holiday extravaganza will be stacked with gifts for Bravo fans and feature a number of Yuletide Bravolebrity performances.
—Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 6 June 2025
Weekend writing sessions can stack into thousands per month.
—Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stack
Cite this Entry
“Stack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stack. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stack
1 of 2 noun1
: a large pile (as of hay, straw, or grain) usually shaped like a cone
2
a
: an orderly pile of objects usually one on top of the other
a stack of dishes
b
: a large number or amount
4
: a structure with shelves for storing books
—usually used in plural
stack
2 of 2 verb
: to arrange in or form a stack : pile
stacked the dishes on the table
stacker
noun
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