Are Cabinets & Cupboards the Same Thing?

When you should say “cabinet” and when you should say “cupboard”

Co-authored by Ryaan Tuttle and Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: February 8, 2023

What is a cabinet?

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What is a cupboard?

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Is “cupboard” American or British?

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Tips

Cabinets and cupboards. Cupboards and cabinets. They’re the same thing, right? Well, not exactly. These words may be used interchangeably in everyday conversation, but that doesn’t mean they’re truly synonyms. Want to learn the true definitions for "cabinet" and "cupboard" and what makes them different from each other? Keep reading!

Things You Should Know

A cabinet can be a built-in furniture piece in the kitchen or bathroom that is usually mounted to a wall.
A cupboard is typically a larger cabinet or small storage space that stands on its own.
Those from Britain may say “cupboard” when talking about an American closet.

Section 1 of 3:

What is a cabinet?

Cabinets are built-in pieces of furniture with shelves or drawers. These furniture pieces conveniently hold items and are often found in kitchens or bathrooms. They can be designed in multiple ways but are typically anchored to a wall and float above another furniture piece, such as a counter or sink.
- Cabinets can be made of wood or stainless steel.
- These storage units are generally big enough to store pots, pans, or bottled hygienic products.
- Now, there are instances when a cabinet is not built-in or floating. For example, a filing cabinet. However, this rule is subjective as a filing cabinet is its own entity.^{[1]
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Section 2 of 3:

What is a cupboard?

Cupboards are freestanding furniture pieces or small rooms with shelves. A cupboard’s purpose is to store things within a room. They can be tall furniture pieces in kitchens, dining rooms, and bedrooms, or small doored spaces under stairs. However, they’re typically tall and extend from the floor to the ceiling in some capacity.^{[2]
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- Cupboards are often used to display fine cutlery or dishware, especially if they have a glass door.
- Being rather tall, these storage units are typically large enough to hang clothes or bags of food in.

Section 3 of 3:

Is “cupboard” American or British?

In Britain, “cupboard” is often used to describe an American closet. An American may say, “Grab the plate from the cupboard,” while gesturing to a tall rectangular shelving unit with doors in the kitchen. Someone British, however, may point to what an American calls a closet and say, “Your clothes are in the cupboard.” This is because in British English “cupboard” means the American equivalent to “closet” or “wardrobe.”^{[3]
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- Take a look at the proper contexts for this word:
  - In American English: “The apples were getting moldy in the back of the cupboard,” or “Could you bring me the frying pan? It’s in the kitchen cupboard.”
  - In British English: “Can you grab my jacket from the back of the cupboard?” or “I left your shoes in the cupboard under the stairs.”