# Stew

/ˈstu/ (US) · /stjˈuː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stew
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a slow-cooked meal

noun · CEFR B1

a dish of meat and vegetables cooked slowly in liquid for a long time.

For teachers: a dish of meat and vegetables prepared by slow simmering in a closed pot with a small amount of liquid.

- We had a thick beef stew with carrots and potatoes for dinner on a cold night.
- The chef prepared a traditional venison stew, allowing the tough cuts of meat to tenderise over several hours in a rich red-wine reduction.

### 2. to cook slowly

verb · CEFR B1

to cook something slowly in liquid.

For teachers: to simmer food slowly in a liquid, typically in a covered container.

- You should let the apples stew with some sugar until they are soft.
- The recipe suggests you stew the fruit gently to preserve its shape while creating a thick, flavorful syrup.

### 3. to worry or be angry

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to stay in a bad mood or worry about something for a long time.

For teachers: to remain in a state of suppressed agitation, resentment, or worry.

- Instead of talking about the problem, he just sat there and stewed in his anger.
- After the heated argument, she was left to stew over his comments for the rest of the afternoon, growing increasingly resentful.

### 4. a state of worry

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a state of being worried, confused, or nervous.

For teachers: a state of agitated excitement, worry, or mental confusion.

- She was in a real stew because she couldn't find her passport before the flight.
- The sudden change in regulations left the legal department in quite a stew as they scrambled to update the contracts.

### 5. flight attendant

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

a short, informal name for a steward or stewardess on a plane or ship.

For teachers: a shortened, informal term for a flight attendant or maritime steward.

- My sister has been working as a stew for a major airline for five years.
- The veteran stew handled the unruly passenger with the calm efficiency of someone who had spent decades in the air.

## Examples

- I made a beef stew for dinner tonight.
- After a long day of hiking in the cold, a hot bowl of vegetable stew was exactly what we needed.
- The chef allowed the lamb stew to simmer for several hours, ensuring the meat was tender enough to fall off the bone and the sauce had thickened significantly.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.