stovepipe

1 of 2

noun

stove·​pipe ˈstōv-ˌpīp How to pronounce stovepipe (audio)
1
: pipe of large diameter usually of sheet steel used as a stove chimney or to connect a stove with a flue
2
3
: an isolated and narrow channel of communication
Instead of streamlining Washington's ability to perform, the department clogged it up with new layers of bureaucracy and stovepipes of information.Christopher Cooper and Robert Block
We had 18 intelligence agencies, and they had what was called the famous stovepipes. They wouldn't share with each other, wouldn't talk to each other.Jay Rockefeller

stovepipe

2 of 2

verb

stovepiped; stovepiping; stovepipes

transitive verb

: to transmit (information) to a higher level in an organization through an isolated and narrow channel of communication
This [Pentagon policy] office, which circumvented the usual procedures of vetting and transparency, stovepiped many of its findings to the highest-ranking officials.Seymour M. Hersh

Examples of stovepipe 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.
Noun
In the drone ecosystem, definitive stovepipes revolve around technology development. Bill Edwards, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024 A couple of cute guys sported Pierrot pajamas and a slouchy golden-beige sweater over a black linen kilt; an hourglass black jacket—its waist nipped as if someone had inhaled in shock—came with stovepipe pants with scrunched hems; a downtown Degas tulle petticoat looked decidedly Black Swan-ish. Mark Holgate, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2024 These two foci have enabled the organization to help ameliorate the impact of the traditional stovepipes. Peter High, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024 But these national stovepipes are a peacetime luxury. Philip Zelikow, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2023 See all Example Sentences for stovepipe 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1784, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1988, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stovepipe was in 1784

Dictionary Entries Near stovepipe

Cite this Entry

“Stovepipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stovepipe. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

stovepipe

noun
stove·​pipe ˈstōv-ˌpīp How to pronounce stovepipe (audio)
1
: a metal pipe for carrying off smoke from a stove
2
: a tall silk hat

More from Merriam-Webster on stovepipe

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