pantry

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pantry" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a small room or space where food, dishes, linens, or provisions are stored, typically in a home. Example: "I need to go to the pantry to grab some snacks for the movie night."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Independent

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Open for breakfast and lunch, you can sit outside beneath the grape-vine framed awnings and watch life in this picturesque town go by (autumn is highly recommended for wildfire leaf colour), or dine inside the pantry among rows of handmade preserves and local wines and soak up the kitchen's hearty aromas.

The Guardian - Travel

"I have come round to accepting that my daughter's generation is a lost generation," lamented Panaghiota Mourtidou, sitting in the food pantry she helps run in central Athens.

The Guardian

The few exceptions became fodder for his most compelling letters, as when he found himself in the hotel pantry where Robert Kennedy was shot in 1968.

The Economist

Happily, advances in technology, from fertilisers to tractors, meant that Malthus's doom-and-gloom scenario never came to pass.However, after five consecutive years in which worldwide consumption of grains such as maize (corn to Americans) and rice has outstripped production, the world's pantry is looking empty.

The Economist

One reason is higher-grade ingredients; what fills the Chinese pantry now is vastly superior to what lined the shelves in the past.

The Economist

They tell housewives how to shop in the streets around Tsukiji, Tokyo's pantry and the world's fish market: "Feel a little like a pro", runs the headline of one pamphlet.And they "discover" districts or individual restaurants that in fact have happily been doing business for generations and sometimes centuries which is all part of their newly discovered charm.

The Economist

On a trip to the English lakes one 19th-century camping party took two tonnes of kit, including a harmonium, a separate pantry tent, a crate of biscuits and a telescope.

The Economist

WHEN baking a cake it helps to have all the ingredients within reach, rather than wasting time and energy making frequent trips to the pantry.

The Economist

These included the great kitchen, privy kitchen, cellar, larder, pantry, buttery, ewery, saucery, chaundry, spicery, poultery and victualling house.

The Economist

The approach is rather like that of a desperate dieter padlocking his pantry.

The Economist

Scott Allard, of Brookings, once saw a family pushing a shopping trolley along a motorway after leaving a food pantry sited in a suburban industrial estate.The reports paint a grim picture.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a "pantry", be specific about its contents and organization to create a vivid image for the reader.

Common error

Avoid simply stating "the pantry was full". Instead, describe what filled the "pantry": "the pantry was overflowing with canned goods, spices, and baking essentials".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "pantry" is as a noun, referring to a room or space used for storing food or household supplies. Ludwig shows its use in various contexts, primarily related to kitchens and food storage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Independent

25%

Encyclopedias

4%

Less common in

The Guardian - Travel

4%

The New Yorker

4%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "pantry" functions primarily as a noun, designating a space for food storage. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its usage is grammatically correct and very common, especially in contexts related to news, media, and home organization. It appears in diverse sources like The Independent, The Economist, and Encyclopedia Britannica. When writing about a "pantry", be descriptive and avoid vague statements; instead, detail its contents and organization. Alternative terms include "larder" or food storage area, depending on the desired formality and context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

larder

A more formal term for a place to store food, particularly in older or traditional homes.

kitchen larder

Combines the concepts of kitchen and larder to describe food storage.

food cupboard

A cupboard specifically used for storing food.

food storage area

A general phrase describing any space dedicated to storing food items.

walk-in closet (for food)

Describes a larger storage space you can walk into, specifying its use for food.

kitchen storage

Emphasizes the storage function within the kitchen environment.

provisions storage

Focuses on the act of storing provisions, emphasizing functionality.

storage closet

Highlights the enclosed space used for storage, not necessarily exclusive to food.

supply cupboard

Focuses on storing supplies, which could include food and other household items.

buttery

An archaic term for a room or area for storing provisions, especially drinks.

FAQs

How do I use "pantry" in a sentence?

You can use "pantry" to describe a storage space for food, such as "I need to restock the "pantry" with canned goods" or "The "pantry" is located next to the kitchen".

What's the difference between a "pantry" and a cupboard?

A "pantry" is typically a small room or large closet dedicated to food storage, while a "cupboard" is a smaller storage space, often part of a larger piece of furniture or built into a wall, and can be used for various items, not just food.

What can I say instead of "pantry"?

Alternatives include "larder", food storage area, or kitchen "cupboard" depending on the specific context and size of the storage space.

Is it correct to say "pantries" as the plural of "pantry"?

Yes, "pantries" is the correct plural form of "pantry". For example, "The house has two "pantries", one for dry goods and one for canned goods".