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Synonyms

stamp

American  
[stamp] / stæmp /

verb (used with object)

  1. to strike or beat with a forcible, downward thrust of the foot.

  2. to bring (the foot) down forcibly or smartly on the ground, floor, etc.

  3. to extinguish, crush, etc., by striking with a forcible downward thrust of the foot (followed byout ).

    to stamp out a fire.

  4. to suppress or quell (a rebellion, uprising, etc.) quickly through the use of overwhelming force (usually followed byout ).

    Synonyms:
    quash, eliminate
  5. to crush or pound with or as with a pestle.

  6. to impress with a particular mark or device, as to indicate genuineness, approval, or ownership.

    to stamp a document with a seal.

  7. to mark or impress with a design, word, mark, etc..

    Age stamped his face with lines.

  8. to impress (a design, word, mark, etc.) on.

    to stamp one's initials on a document.

  9. to affix a postage stamp to (a letter, envelope, etc.).

  10. to characterize, distinguish, or reveal.

    His ingenuity with words stamped him as a potential poet.


verb (used without object)

  1. to bring the foot down forcibly or smartly, as in crushing something, expressing rage, etc.

  2. to walk with forcible or heavy, resounding steps.

    He stamped out of the room in anger.

noun

  1. a postage stamp.

  2. an act or instance of stamping.

  3. a die or block for impressing or imprinting.

  4. a design or legend made with such a die or block.

  5. an official mark indicating genuineness, validity, etc., or payment of a duty or charge.

  6. a peculiar or distinctive impression or mark.

    a great man who left his stamp on legal procedure.

  7. character, kind, or type.

    a woman of serious stamp.

  8. an official seal or device appearing on a business or legal document to show that a tax has been paid.

  9. Also called local.  Also called local stamp.  such a device, often similar to a postage stamp issued by a private organization to show that the charges for mail carrying have been paid.

  10. trading stamp.

  11. food stamp.

  12. an instrument for stamping, crushing, or pounding.

  13. a heavy piece of iron or the like, as in a stamp mill, for crushing ore or other material.

stamp British  
/ stæmp /

verb

  1. to bring (the foot) down heavily (on the ground, etc)

  2. (intr) to walk with heavy or noisy footsteps

  3. to repress, extinguish, or eradicate

    he stamped on any criticism

  4. (tr) to impress or mark (a particular device or sign) on (something)

  5. to mark (something) with an official impress, seal, or device

    to stamp a passport

  6. (tr) to fix or impress permanently

    the date was stamped on her memory

  7. (tr) to affix a postage stamp to

  8. (tr) to distinguish or reveal

    that behaviour stamps him as a cheat

  9. to pound or crush (ores, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act or an instance of stamping

    1. See postage stamp

    2. a mark applied to postage stamps for cancellation purposes

  2. a similar piece of gummed paper used for commercial or trading purposes

  3. a block, die, etc, used for imprinting a design or device

  4. a design, device, or mark that has been stamped

  5. a characteristic feature or trait; hallmark

    the story had the stamp of authenticity

  6. a piece of gummed paper or other mark applied to official documents to indicate payment of a fee, validity, ownership, etc

  7. informal a national insurance contribution, formerly recorded by means of a stamp on an official card

  8. type or class

    we want to employ men of his stamp

  9. an instrument or machine for crushing or pounding ores, etc, or the pestle in such a device

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
stamp Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing stamp


Usage

What else does stamp mean? Content warning: the following content includes references to illicit drugs.In slang, stamp can refer to LSD (acid) or a bag of heroin.It can also be short for food stamps or the expression stamp of approval.

Related Words

See abolish.

Other Word Forms

  • misstamp verb (used with object)
  • nonstampable adjective
  • prestamp noun
  • restamp verb
  • stampable adjective
  • stamper noun
  • stampless adjective
  • superstamp noun
  • understamp noun
  • unstamped adjective

Etymology

Origin of stamp

1150–1200; (v.) early Middle English stampen to pound, crush, probably continuing Old English *stampian (cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle Low German stampen, Old High German stampfōn, Old Norse stappa ); sense development apparently influenced by Old French estamper to stamp < Germanic; (noun) late Middle English: instrument for stamping an impression; partly derivative of the v., partly < Old French estampe, derivative of estamper

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It currently tracks in line with 2024 levels but is 9% down on the strong start in 2025, when buyers rushed to market to beat the end of the stamp duty relief.

From The Wall Street Journal

Brazil has declared the acai berry a national fruit, a move to stamp its ownership on the popular "superfood" as concerns grow about foreign companies staking claims to the Amazon's biological riches.

From Barron's

“You need a specific address, with a street number and a zip code, to send a letter. And money for an envelope and a stamp. Real money, not a hat.”

From Literature

She looks down at the letter in her hand, runs a finger across the Turkish stamps.

From Literature

Xi may have stamped his authority, yet again, but the upheaval means ongoing frictions, he said.

From BBC