stash

stash — verb

1. to put a supply of valuable items in a hidden place so that you can use them whe

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to put a supply of valuable items in a hidden place so that you can use them when you need them later

Example

Quan stashed a bag of emergency supplies under his bed before the storm season began.

All the cash from the night's sales was stashed in a locked drawer behind the counter.

passive: be stashed + [location]

Common collocations
  • stash away
  • stash cash
  • stash supplies
  • stash money
  • stash food
  • stash valuables
Synonyms
  • hide

    broader — hide can be temporary or permanent; stash always implies saving for future use

  • store

    does not carry the meaning of secrecy; stash is specifically hidden or safe

  • hoard

    negative connotation of collecting excessively; stash is neutral and more personal

  • cache

    slightly more formal or technical, often used for supplies in outdoor or military contexts

Antonyms
  • discard

    to throw something away rather than keeping it for later

  • reveal

    to make something visible or known rather than hiding it

Grammar Patterns

stash + noun phrase + [in/under/behind/inside] + location

Usage Note

Frequently used with a location phrase introduced by in, under, behind, or inside. The object is typically something collected gradually — money, supplies, or sentimental items — rather than a single everyday object left out in the open.

Common Mistakes

I stashed my phone on the table.
I stashed a spare charger in my glove compartment.
stash implies hiding or securing for later use, not simply placing something somewhere temporarily.

stash — noun

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Hide is the broadest word — it simply means to put something where it cannot be found, with no emphasis on future use or safety. Store focuses on keeping something organised for later but does not imply secrecy at all. Hoard adds a negative tone: it suggests collecting and keeping more than is reasonable, often with greed or anxiety. Cache is slightly more formal and technical, frequently used for supplies in outdoor, military, or computing contexts. Stash sits in the middle — informal, personal, and practical. You stash your emergency cash, your favourite snacks, or sentimental keepsakes. For example: 'I hid the gift in the closet' (just concealing it); 'I stored the camping gear in the garage' (organising for later); 'He hoarded canned food during the pandemic' (excessive); 'They cached emergency supplies along the trail' (planned, technical); 'I stashed some chocolate in my bag for the trip' (informal and personal).

hide ↗store ↗hoardcache ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • stash for a rainy day

Prepositions

Etymology

FrenchEnglish blendAmerican English

The word 'stash' first appeared in American English around the late 1700s. It was probably formed by blending two older words: 'stow' (to put something away carefully) and 'cache' (a hidden store of items, borrowed from French 'cacher' — to hide). The noun form, referring to the hidden collection itself, developed from the verb in the mid-1800s.