stock up
phrasal verb.phrasal verb. to buy a large amount of something so that you have enough for the future.
phrasal verb. to acquire a large quantity of a particular resource or commodity for future use. The verb is often followed by the preposition 'on' to indicate the specific item being collected.
We need to stock up on milk before the storm starts.
Whenever there is a big sale at the supermarket, my parents stock up on canned goods and toilet paper.
Anticipating a significant disruption in the global supply chain, several major tech firms began to stock up on essential semiconductors and raw materials.
usually followed by 'on' plus the noun representing the items being bought.
contrast with 'hoard', which has a negative connotation of greed or panic; 'stock up' is generally seen as a sensible, organized action.
I need to stock up my fridge with eggs.I need to stock up on eggs for my fridge.the phrase 'stock up' takes 'on' for the items being bought, whereas 'stock' (without 'up') takes 'with' for the container being filled.
Last updated July 31, 2026