stairwell

noun

stair·​well ˈster-ˌwel How to pronounce stairwell (audio)
: a vertical shaft in which stairs are located

Examples of stairwell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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And spare furnishings spotlight craft—from the dining area’s custom walnut table to the stairwell’s Isamu Noguchi pendant. — Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 22 Oct. 2026 Police said officers found the bodies of two young children on the first floor, followed by Angelina Stone on the stairwell, and then Michelle Stone and the couple's two sons, 19-year-old Jonathan Stone and 21-year-old Matthew Stone. — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 After deploying a drone and robot, police entered and found the bodies of the 5-year-old boy and 1-year-old girl on the first floor; two more women and two young men in a stairwell; and the shooter on the second floor. — Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 In every room, hallway, stairwell and balcony on both Friday and Saturday night, artists and musicians (both those playing and not) intermingled with fans, friends and other longtime fixtures of the punk rock world. — Josh Chesler, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stairwell

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stairwell was in 1920

Rhymes for stairwell

See All Rhymes for stairwell

Browse Nearby Words

stairway
stairwell
stair wire
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stairwell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stairwell. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

stairwell

noun
stair·​well -ˌwel How to pronounce stairwell (audio)
: a vertical shaft in which stairs are located
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