stoker

noun

stok·​er ˈstō-kər How to pronounce stoker (audio)
1
: one employed to tend a furnace and supply it with fuel
specifically : one that tends a marine steam boiler
2
: a machine for feeding a fire

Examples of stoker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Stamp was born in London's East End in 1938, the sun of a tugboat stoker. — Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025 Stamp, the first of five children born to a tugboat stoker, grew up in London as bombs fell during World War II. — Angela Yang, NBC news, 17 Aug. 2025 Carlson, a stoker of animosity toward Israel and Jews. — David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026 His father, a tugboat stoker, was often away, and young Terence found solace in films, idolizing Gary Cooper and James Dean. — Daniel Ross Goodman, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stoker

Word History

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stoker was in 1660

Rhymes for stoker

See All Rhymes for stoker

Browse Nearby Words

Stoke-on-Trent
stoker
Stoker
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Cite this Entry

“Stoker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stoker. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Biographical Definition

Stoker

biographical name

Sto·​ker ˈstō-kər How to pronounce Stoker (audio)
Bram 1847–1912 Irish writer

More from Merriam-Webster on stoker

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stoker

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