[Ads-l] stacked

[Ben Zimmer]

While this usage feels fairly common, the relevant sense of "stacked" isn't
explicitly covered in any dictionary I checked. Wiktionary gets close with:

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https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/stacked
7. (sports, video games, of a team) Having many skilled players.
---

It's plausible that "stacked" developed in sports as elliptical for
"stacked with talent" and the like, and then got extended to entertainment.
In the databases, I see other less elliptical variations like
"well-stacked" (perhaps modeled on "well-stocked"), "star-stacked" (perhaps
modeled on "star-studded"), and "talent-stacked."

Early examples in sports:

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https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bayonne-herald-and-greenville-regist/201886735/
Bayonne (NJ) Herald, Dec. 5, 1896, p. 3, col. 2
The Alva A.C. were defeated by the well-stacked team of the Bergen Point
A.C., on the New Jersey A.C. grounds, on Saturday last, by the score of 6
to 0.
---
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province-stacked-team/201886835/
The Province (Vancouver, BC), Aug. 27, 1908, p. 11, col. 1
They are bound to lose the to Vancouver's stacked team anyway.
---

And later in entertainment:

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https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-and-sun-bulletin-star-stacked-cast/201888346/
Binghamton (NY) Press, Oct. 22, 1941, p. 22 (advt.)
>From the same studio, with a star-stacked cast [...] "When Ladies Meet."
---
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-desert-sun/201888743/
Desert Sun (Palm Springs, CA), Oct. 8, 1943, p. 4, col. 3
Heading the talent-stacked fivesome was Eddie Garr, comedian, who is famous
for his work in Hellzapoppin!
---
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-register-stacked-star-cast/201889739/
Red Bank (NJ) Register, Dec. 1, 1961, p. 2, col. 6
Many of the TV critics felt as you did about "Power," but despite some slow
spots and the stacked star cast, it was still good, if not altogether
great, TV fare.
---
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-winona-daily-news-well-stacked-cast/201888027/
Winona (Minn.) Sunday News, Aug. 25, 1963, p. 13, col. 3
Well stocked with a well stacked cast, it features Shelly Winters, Glynis
Johns, Jane Fonda and Claire Bloom.
---
https://www.newspapers.com/article/edmonton-journal-stacked-cast/201890038/
Edmonton (Alberta) Journal, Oct. 28, 1970, p. 41, col. 1
STACKED CAST... at Canadian premiere of How Do I Love Thee at the opening
of the new Plaza Cinemas.
---

--bgz

On Sat, Jul 18, 2026 at 7:05 AM Jonathan Lighter <
00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:

>
> https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/odyssey-stacked-cast-theres-one-143345554.html
>
> "The Odyssey has a stacked cast, but there's one person in particular being
> praised by fans"
>
>

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