stomach

1 of 2

noun

stom·​ach ˈstə-mək How to pronounce stomach (audio)
-mik
Synonyms of stomachnext
1
a(1)
: a saclike expansion of the digestive tract of a vertebrate that is located between the esophagus and duodenum and typically consists of a simple often curved sac with an outer serous covering, a strong muscular wall that contracts rhythmically, and an inner mucous membrane lining that contains gastric glands

Note: In humans, the stomach is located in the upper abdomen, below the esophagus and above the small intestine. It functions mainly to partially digest food by grinding and mixing it with gastric secretions (such as hydrochloric acid and pepsin). Mucus is also secreted to protect the stomach lining from damage by the acidic environment. Once ingested food has been partially digested by the stomach, it is discharged through the pylorus into the duodenum in the form of the semifluid chyme for further digestion.

(2)
: one of the compartments making up the stomach of a ruminant animal (such as a cow or sheep)
… the rumen, the largest of the four stomachs in an older animal, is undeveloped at birth and is considerably smaller than the abomasum or true stomach.—Norman Barron
b
: the part of the body that contains the stomach : belly, abdomen
He was punched in the stomach.
c
: a cavity in an invertebrate animal that is analogous to a stomach
When a leaf containing the bacteria is ingested by the larva of certain insects, the new gene produces a protein that attacks the stomach lining of the insect and causes death.—The New York Times
2
a
: desire for food caused by hunger : appetite
After the hike, she had a good stomach for lunch.
b
: inclination, desire
had no stomach for an argument
also : courage, guts
3
obsolete
a
: spirit, valor
b
: arrogance
c
: spleen, resentment

stomach

2 of 2

verb

stomached; stomaching; stomachs

transitive verb

1
: to bear without overt reaction or resentment : put up with
couldn't stomach office politics
2
archaic : to take offense at

Synonyms

Noun

Verb

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of stomach in a Sentence

Noun She has problems with her stomach. I've had enough to eat. My stomach is full. He was lying on his stomach. Verb I could barely stomach the smell. I can't stomach raw onions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The water-resistant jacket covers more of the stomach than most other dog raincoats on the market, which is great for pups with short legs. —Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024 They’re broadly understood to work by inhibiting hunger and slowing the passage of food from the stomach—effects that sound benign, as if the drugs were little more than pharmacological versions of a fiber-rich diet. —Gary Taubes, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2024 Scott suffered from complications of a secret LAP-BAND System procedure to restrict the size of her stomach, according to reporting from the Free Press; the surgery had been approved by the Federal Drug Administration just a year before for use in the treatment of obesity. —Detroit Free Press, 11 Apr. 2024 Shoveling food in your face while you’re distracted is a surefire way to increase stress and upset your stomach even more, Dr. Gentile says. —Jenna Ryu, SELF, 10 Apr. 2024 Keith died in February at 62 after a long battle with stomach cancer. —Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024 The strongest associations were seen with lung, stomach and intestinal, and uterine cancers. —Brenda Goodman, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024 Their brightness combined with microgreens and red onion makes a real feast for the eyes (and for your stomach!). —Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2024 To mention a few, some of these operations include rhinoplasty, stomach tucks, weight loss surgery, and breast reductions and augmentations. —Chiara Accardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Apr. 2024
Verb
Still, few investors can stomach the volatility and uncertainty that come with a pure-stock position. —The Arizona Republic, 31 Mar. 2024 Must be willing to relocate—and stomach the smell of penguin poop. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024 Wealthy buyers can easier stomach a mortgage rate around 7% and may be able to pay all cash. —Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 There’s also a taco and chili pepper eating contest for those who can stomach it. —Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2024 Check out our Best Android Phones and Best Cheap Phones guides for additional recommendations at prices that are much easier to stomach. —Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 18 Jan. 2024 Caught in the middle are consumers who just want to save money on gas, but perhaps have fears about going fully electric or can’t stomach the cost of EVs. —Patrick George, The Atlantic, 7 Dec. 2023 Girls are too delicate to stomach a substantial meal; girls don’t have the logic to do math; girls are just lickle babies that need constant reassurance. —Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2023 And that assumes that an individual person (or pet) could stand to stomach the plant at all, which is highly unlikely in the case of poinsettias. —Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stomach.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English stomak, from Anglo-French estomac, from Latin stomachus gullet, esophagus, stomach, from Greek stomachos, from stoma mouth; akin to Middle Breton staffn mouth, Avestan staman-

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of stomach was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing stomach

Dictionary Entries Near stomach

stoma

stomach

stomachache

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Stomach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stomach. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

stomach

1 of 2 noun
stom·​ach ˈstəm-ək How to pronounce stomach (audio)
-ik
1
a
: a pouch of the vertebrate digestive system into which food passes from the esophagus for mixing and digestion before passing to the duodenum of the small intestine
b
: a cavity with a similar function in an invertebrate animal
c
: the part of the body that contains the stomach : belly, abdomen
2
a
: desire for food caused by hunger : appetite
b
: desire entry 2 sense 1, inclination
had no stomach for an argument

stomach

2 of 2 verb
: tolerate sense 1
could not stomach the smell

Medical Definition

stomach

noun
stom·​ach ˈstəm-ək, -ik How to pronounce stomach (audio)
1
a
: a saclike expansion of the digestive tract of a vertebrate communicating anteriorly with the esophagus and posteriorly with the duodenum and being typically a simple often curved sac with an outer serous coat, a strong complex muscular wall that contracts rhythmically, and a mucous lining membrane that contains gastric glands
b
: one of the compartments of a ruminant stomach
the abomasum is the fourth stomach of a ruminant
2
: a cavity in an invertebrate animal that is analogous to a stomach
3
: the part of the body that contains the stomach : belly, abdomen

More from Merriam-Webster on stomach

Nglish: Translation of stomach for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of stomach for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stomach

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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