store
gb/stˈɔɹ/ us/stˈɔɹ/
A1
English
~ 2600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
Place where goods are sold
A place where you can buy things.
Usage pattern:
[someone] goes to [a store]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'store' with 'storage'; 'store' here means a place to buy things, not a place to keep them.
Synonyms
shop (Common in British English; smaller-scale or specialized than 'store' in American English.)
Antonyms
marketplace (A more open, informal place for selling goods, often outdoors.)
Collocations
department store
|grocery store
|convenience store
|store manager
|store hours
Themes
commerce
|daily life
|shopping
|daily_life
|business
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I stopped by the store to pick up some milk.
- There's a new clothing store opening downtown next week.
- She works at an electronics store in the mall.
- This store offers a wide range of organic products.
Learner examples
- I go to the store every Saturday.
- The store sells food and drinks.
- We walk to the store after school.
- He works in a big store.
Verb
A2
action
2
Keep for later use
To keep something in a place until you need it.
Usage pattern:
to store [something] [somewhere]
Common mistake:
Some learners think 'store' only means 'sell things'; it can also mean 'keep things for later'.
Synonyms
keep (More general; doesn't always imply putting something away for later use.)
Antonyms
use (The opposite of keeping something for later — using it now.)
Collocations
store data
|store food
|store supplies
|store luggage
Themes
daily life
|organization
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We store our winter clothes in the attic during summer.
- The company stores customer information on secure servers.
- Please store the bread in a cool, dry place.
- She stored the documents in a locked cabinet.
Learner examples
- I store my books on a shelf.
- We store the rice in a box.
- He stores water in bottles.
- They store old photos in a drawer.
Noun
B1
entity
3
Supply kept for later use
A quantity of something kept to use later.
Synonyms
stockpile (Implies a larger or more strategic accumulation.)
Antonyms
shortage (A state of not having enough supply.)
Collocations
store of knowledge
|food store
|emergency store
Themes
resources
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The hikers carried a store of food for their trip.
- He has a great store of patience.
- The country maintains a large store of medical supplies.
- We have a store of firewood for the winter.
Learner examples
- We have a store of rice at home.
- She has a store of ideas for her art.
- The farm keeps a store of seeds.
- They keep a store of water for summer.
Verb
technical
A2
action
4
Save data digitally
To keep information on a computer or phone so you can use it later.
Usage pattern:
to store [data] [in/on something]
Synonyms
save ('Save' is more common in everyday computer use; 'store' can imply longer-term keeping.)
Antonyms
delete (To remove stored data so it is no longer available.)
Collocations
store files
|store images
|store passwords
Themes
technology
|computing
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The app stores your login details securely.
- You can store up to 500 songs on this device.
- The system stores all transactions in its database.
Learner examples
- I store photos on my phone.
- The computer stores music and videos.
- She stores files on the cloud.
Grammar
Dictionary form
store
IPA
GB/stˈɔɹ/
US/stˈɔɹ/
Syllables & stress
store (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (store)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: store
- Plural: stores
Verb
- Base: store
- 3rd Person Singular: stores
- Present Participle: storing
- Past: stored
Word family
Forms
stores
noun
storing
verb
stored
verb
Core family
storage
noun A2
Related words
storeroom
noun
storekeeper
noun
Advanced or less common
storehouse
noun
Expressions
in store (for someone)
1/ˈɪn stˈɔɹ fɚ sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
Planned or expected for someone
Going to happen to someone in the future.
Examples
- No one knows what the future has in store for us.
- There are many surprises in store for the guests.
set store by (something)
1/sˈɛt stˈɔɹ bˈaɪ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
formal
Consider important or valuable
To think something is important or useful.
Examples
- He sets great store by honesty in his employees.
- They set little store by traditional methods.
store up trouble/problems/etc.
1/stˈɔɹ ˈʌp tɹˈaʊbəlpɹˈɑbləmzˈɛts ‖/
idiom
Cause problems later by actions now
To do something now that will make problems happen later.
Examples
- If you ignore these warnings, you’re just storing up trouble for yourself.
- Not saving money is storing up problems for the future.