stew
gb/stˈu/ us/stˈu/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
slow-cooked dish in liquid
a thick soup-like dish cooked slowly in a pot
Usage pattern:
a stew (of [ingredients])
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse stew (a thick dish cooked slowly) with soup (usually more liquid and often cooked faster).
Synonyms
casserole (Similar comfort food, but often baked rather than simmered on the stove.)
|
ragout (A similar slow-cooked dish, often used in French or restaurant contexts.)
Antonyms
salad (An uncooked dish, contrasting with a hot, slow-cooked stew.)
Collocations
beef stew
|vegetable stew
|hearty stew
|thick stew
|a pot of stew
|stew meat
|lamb stew
|fish stew
|homemade stew
|stew recipe
Themes
food
|cooking
|daily_life
Examples
- We made a beef stew with carrots, potatoes, and red wine.
- The stew smelled amazing after simmering all afternoon.
- She served the stew with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Learner examples
- I ate a bowl of stew for dinner.
- This stew has vegetables and meat.
Verb
B1
process
2
cook slowly in liquid
to cook food slowly in liquid
Usage pattern:
stew [food] (in [liquid])
Common mistake:
Stew is usually slow and covered; don’t use it for quick cooking methods like fry or grill.
Synonyms
braise (Very similar, but often refers to larger pieces of meat and less liquid.)
|
simmer (Describes the gentle heat; stewing typically results in a thicker dish.)
Antonyms
fry (Uses hot fat rather than slow cooking in liquid.)
|
grill (Cooks with direct heat, not in liquid.)
Collocations
stew beef
|stew chicken
|stew vegetables
|stew onions
|stew apples
|stew gently
|stew in stock
|stew in wine
|stew for hours
|stew until tender
Themes
food
|cooking
Examples
- Stew the lentils with tomatoes and spices for about 30 minutes.
- I stewed the beef in stock until it was fall-apart tender.
- The fruit is lightly stewed with sugar and lemon.
Learner examples
- Stew the meat in a pot.
- We stewed the vegetables in water.
Verb
B2
state
3
worry and think about something
to worry about something again and again
Usage pattern:
stew (over/about) [problem/idea]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use stew for any kind of thinking; it usually implies anxious or negative thinking.
Synonyms
fret (More general worrying; stew suggests lingering, repetitive thoughts.)
|
brood (Often darker or more resentful; stew can be anxious or resentful.)
|
ruminate (More formal; can be neutral, while stew is usually negative.)
Antonyms
relax (Stop worrying and become calm.)
|
shrug off (Treat something as unimportant and stop thinking about it.)
Collocations
stew over a mistake
|stew about what happened
|stew in silence
|stew for days
|stew over the details
|stew over a decision
|stew over an argument
|stew on it
Themes
emotions
|mental_health
|daily_life
Examples
- Don’t stew over one awkward comment all day.
- He spent the weekend stewing about the interview.
- She tried not to stew on the argument and moved on.
Learner examples
- I don’t want to stew about it.
- He is stewing over a problem.
Verb
B2
state
4
sit in heat or anger
to feel very hot; or to stay angry for a long time
Usage pattern:
stew in [heat/anger/resentment]
Synonyms
swelter (Strongly focused on uncomfortable heat.)
|
seethe (Focused on controlled but intense anger.)
Antonyms
cool off (Become less hot or less angry.)
|
calm down (Become less upset or angry.)
Collocations
stew in the heat
|stew in a hot car
|stew in anger
|stew in resentment
|stewing in the sun
|stew in frustration
Themes
emotions
|weather
|daily_life
Examples
- We were stewing in the car while we waited for the tow truck.
- He went quiet and just stewed in anger for the rest of the meeting.
- Don’t stew in resentment—talk to her about what happened.
Learner examples
- It is too hot; I am stewing.
- He is stewing in anger.
Grammar
Dictionary form
stew
IPA
GB/stˈu/
US/stˈu/
Syllables & stress
stew (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (stew)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: stew
- Plural: stew, stews
Verb
- Base: stew
- 3rd Person Singular: stews
- Present Participle: stewing
- Past: stewed
Expressions
in a stew
1/ˈɪn ə stˈu/
idiom
upset and worried
very worried or upset
Examples
- She was in a stew about the exam results.
- Don’t get in a stew over a small delay.
- He’s been in a stew since he heard the news.
leave [someone] to stew
1/lˈiv sˈʌmwˌʌn tə stˈu/
fixed phrase
leave someone to worry
to leave someone alone to feel worried or angry
Examples
- I didn’t call back right away—I left him to stew for a bit.
- They left her to stew after the meeting ended badly.
- Don’t just leave people to stew; clear up the misunderstanding.
let [something] stew
1/lˈɛt sˈʌmθɪŋ stˈu/
fixed phrase
leave it for a while
to wait and think before you act
Examples
- I didn’t reply right away—I let the message stew overnight.
- Let the idea stew for a day before you decide.
- The manager let the proposal stew while she gathered more feedback.
stew in your own juices
1/stˈu ˈɪn jˈʊɹ ˈoʊn d͡ʒˈusɪz/
idiom
informal
suffer consequences alone
to face the results of your own actions
Examples
- After he lied to everyone, they let him stew in his own juices.
- She refused to apologize and told him to stew in his own juices.
- The team stopped covering for him and left him to stew in his own juices.
stew on it
1/stˈu ˈɔn ˈɪt/
fixed phrase
think about it longer
to keep thinking about it and worrying
Examples
- Don’t stew on it all night—talk to her tomorrow.
- He kept stewing on the comment until it ruined his mood.
- If you stew on it, it just feels worse.
stew over
1/stˈu ˈoʊvɚ/
phrasal verb
worry about repeatedly
to worry about something again and again
Examples
- Try not to stew over what you said at the party.
- He stewed over the decision for days.
- She kept stewing over every detail of the email.