tower

1 of 2

noun

tow·​er ˈtau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce tower (audio)
1
: a building or structure typically higher than its diameter and high relative to its surroundings that may stand apart (such as a campanile) or be attached (such as a church belfry) to a larger structure and that may be fully walled in or of skeleton framework (such as an observation or transmission tower)
2
: a towering citadel : fortress
3
: one that provides support or protection : bulwark
a tower of strength
4
: a personal computer case that stands in an upright position
towered adjective
towerlike adjective

tower

2 of 2

verb

towered; towering; towers

intransitive verb

1
: to reach or rise to a great height
2
: to exhibit superior qualities : surpass
her intellect towered over the others'

Examples of tower in a Sentence

Noun a hill from which one can gaze upon the towers of that great and historic city
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The colorful pieces easily click together, so kids can harness the power of their imagination and create any number of things—from towers to castles to cars and more. Julie Evans, Parents, 22 Mar. 2024 These include the main fire station, an annex for equipment maintenance and repair, a training center that houses the Regional Fire Academy Training Program, an area for Santa Clara County contract paramedic provider ambulance crew members and a separate training tower. Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 Slated to reach completion in 2027, homes in the 88-unit tower will range between one- and three-bedroom apartments, two-bedroom lofts, penthouses, and sky villas. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2024 After getting out of prison a second time, in 2005, Mr. Crispo bought a co-op apartment and two ground-floor spaces in a residential tower in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, intending to open yet another gallery. Clay Risen, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024 The tower would replace the existing church and eight other buildings on the site, which runs along William Howard Taft Road between Eden Avenue and Bellevue Avenue, according to Ed Wiethe, a church member and development advisor for the project. Randy Tucker, The Enquirer, 14 Mar. 2024 Production is resuming at the German Tesla factory just shy of a week after an arson attack on a nearby electricity transmission tower cut off its power. Morgan Haefner, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 There, a series of mysterious events lead him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. Todd Spangler, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024 Another possibility being considered is that the failure of columns at the tower’s southern edge is what triggered the collapse of the pool deck and then the tower. Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
Verb
Get The Recipe 06 of 32 The Coconut Chiffon Cake Grandma only brought out this towering confection for special occasions, like holidays and baptisms. Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024 The Oppenheimer actress accompanied the designer to the 2023 Met Gala, dressed in one of his creations — a dramatic white gown coupled with a floor-sweeping ribbon sash and a towering feather headpiece. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024 If little ones are in tow, be sure to discover the Guardian of the Seeds—towering trolls made of recycled wood by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2024 For lunch, a towering turkey club sandwich, a veg-heavy grain bowl, or an iconic burger Recent additions add welcome variety to the restaurant scene while fitting right into this unpretentious neck of the woods. Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 21 Mar. 2024 Among the glittering names whose county records are being sought are Hall Wines, known for its bold cabernets and luxe St. Helena winery with a towering statue of a silver rabbit. Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 With the most recent Costco stock lists including towering topical varieties such as Majesty Palm and White Bird of Paradise at 6-8 feet and only $27.99, there have also been reports of fiddle leaf figs ranging from $15-$50. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024 Brett followed with a towering three-run home run off Yankees star Goose Gossage that sent the Royals to their first World Series. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2024 Magnificent clouds resembling ocean waves in the sky towered over mountain ridge tops over Interstate 70 in Maryland on a clear Sunday morning. Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tower.' 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 tour, tor, from Old English torr & Anglo-French tur, tour, both from Latin turris, from Greek tyrris, tyrsis

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tower was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near tower

Cite this Entry

“Tower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tower. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tower

1 of 2 noun
tow·​er ˈtau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce tower (audio)
1
: a tall narrow building or structure that may stand by itself or be attached to a larger structure
2
towered adjective

tower

2 of 2 verb
: to reach or rise to a great height

More from Merriam-Webster on tower

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!