stew
1 of 3noun (1)
ˈstü 
ˈstyü
1
obsolete : a utensil used for boiling
2
: a hot bath
3
a
: brothel
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 3verb
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 3noun (2)
: flight attendant
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- dither
- fluster
- fret
- fuss
- huff
- lather
- pother
- sweat
- swelter
- swivet
- tizzy
Verb
- boil
- coddle
- parboil
- poach
- simmer
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb The meat still needs to stew. a can of stewed tomatoes She's been stewing over what he said for days.
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
Phrases Containing stew
Kids Definition
stew 1 of 2
noun
ˈstü
ˈstyü
1
: a dish of usually meat with vegetables prepared by slow boiling
2
: a state of excitement, worry, or confusion
He got in a stew over nothing.
stew
2 of 2verb
stewed; stewing
1
: to boil slowly : simmer
stew tomatoes
2
: to become excited or worried Don't stew over what they said.
stew 1 of 2
noun
1
as in sweat
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
- sweat
- huff
- swelter
- fuss
- panic
- swivet
- pother
- fluster
- tizzy
- lather
- fret
- dither
- twitter
- dudgeon
- pique
- agitation
- delirium
- hysteria
- hand-wringing
- furor
- alarm
- ado
- nervous breakdown
- uproar
- distraction
- alarum
- bother
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
- stir
- commotion
- hurry
- disturbance
- turmoil
- fuss
- storm
- racket
- clatter
- hurricane
- fun
- noise
- blather
- zoo
- pandemonium
- rumpus
- squall
- tumult
- ruckus
- clutter
- pother
- coil
- corroboree
- bustle
- welter
- bluster
- bobbery
- hullabaloo
- row
- furor
- hurly
- furore
- roar
- hoopla
- kerfuffle
- ruction
- hubbub
- ado
- whirl
- foofaraw
- uproar
- bother
- hurry-skurry
- hurry-scurry
- shindy
- ballyhoo
- hurly-burly
- helter-skelter
- flurry
- hubble-bubble
- splore
- upheaval
- hoo-ha
- cacophony
- to-do
- din
- howl
- hoo-hah
- alarums and excursions
- do
- unrest
- moil
- clamor
- williwaw
- brawl
- disorder
- eruption
- outcry
- outbreak
- hue and cry
- melee
- scuffle
- fever
- fray
- outburst
- mêlée
- flutter
- fracas
- tizzy
- lather
- fret
- dither
- flare-up
- hassle
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rest
- peace
- calm
- hush
- tranquility
- quiet
- stillness
- tranquillity
- quietude
- order
- orderliness
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
- medley
- variety
- jumble
- assortment
- collage
- gumbo
- salad
- ragout
- blend
- mélange
- potpourri
- hash
- amalgam
- jambalaya
- jungle
- mishmash
- patchwork
- litter
- hodgepodge
- scramble
- smorgasbord
- gallimaufry
- farrago
- clutter
- hotchpotch
- shuffle
- menagerie
- pastiche
- mixed bag
- alphabet soup
- rummage
- patchwork quilt
- miscellany
- ragbag
- grab bag
- olio
- tangle
- agglomerate
- crazy quilt
- agglomeration
- salmagundi
- motley
- combination
- miscellanea
- montage
- accumulation
- botch
- muddle
- tumble
- macédoine
- welter
- omnium-gatherum
- conglomerate
- aggregation
- aggregate
- fusion
- mess
- conglomeration
- detritus
- composite
- olla podrida
- notions
- compound
- sundries
- chaos
- admixture
- commixture
- catchall
- intermixture
- morass
- oddments
- alloy
- disorder
- disarray
- snarl
- imbroglio
- confusion
- shambles
- dog's breakfast
- disarrangement
- odds and ends
- bollix
- mix-up
- knot
4
as in brothel
a building in which prostitutes are available a red-light district full of down and dirty stews Synonyms & Similar Words
- brothel
- bawdy house
- disorderly house
- whorehouse
- cathouse
- sporting house
- bordello
- bagnio
- call house
- massage parlor
- harem
- crib
- seraglio
stew
2 of 2verb
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
- boil
- simmer
- parboil
- steam
- poach
- fricassee
- braise
- coddle
- pressure-cook
- reboil
- scald
- smother
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
- worry
- care a hang
- fear
- sweat blood
- trouble
- sweat
- fret
- stress
- fuss
- pine
- give a hang
- bother
- agonize
- long
- despair
- yearn
- chafe
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- accept
- bear
- sustain
- take
- tolerate
- endure
- stomach
- stick out
- abide