sand

1 of 2

noun

ˈsand 

1

a

: a loose granular material that results from the disintegration of rocks, consists of particles smaller than gravel but coarser than silt, and is used in mortar, glass, abrasives, and foundry molds

b

: soil containing 85 percent or more of sand and a maximum of 10 percent of clay

broadly : sandy soil

2

a

: a tract of sand : beach

b

: a sandbank or sandbar

3

: the sand in an hourglass

also : the moments of a lifetime

—usually used in plural

The sands of this government run out very rapidly …

—H. J. Laski

4

: an oil-producing formation of sandstone or unconsolidated sand

5

: firm resolution

6

: a yellowish-gray color

sand

2 of 2

verb

sanded; sanding; sands

transitive verb

1

: to sprinkle or dust with or as if with sand

2

: to cover or fill with sand

3

: to smooth or dress by grinding or rubbing with an abrasive (such as sandpaper)

Synonyms of sand

Noun

• beach

Verb

• rub
• file
• polish
• grind

Examples of sand in a Sentence

Noun

The beaches are covered with pinkish sand.

I have sand in my shoe.

The children are playing in the sand.

She walked across the hot sand.

Verb

You should sand the shelf before painting it.

Be sure to sand before you paint the shelf.

The streets are slippery because they haven't been sanded yet.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There’s also a sand pit where children can dig up replicas of pygmy mammoth bones. —Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026

In a 2021 interview with art historian Claudia Pretelin, Hasbun recalled that her favorite part of growing up in El Salvador were weekly visits to the nearby black sand beaches, her terruño, a Spanish word that can equally mean the earth’s soil or the homeland. —Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 22 May 2026

Verb

Maybe his voice wasn’t sanded to perfection on the Gershwin classic. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 20 May 2026

In an age when wealth can sand down nearly every inconvenience, ranchland still pushes back. —Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German sant sand, Latin sabulum, Greek psammos

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sand

• head in the sand
• sand-blind
• sand bluestem
• sand-cast
• sand casting
• sand castle
• sand crack
• sand dab
• sand dollar
• sand dune
• sand flea
• sand fly
• sand lance
• sand lily
• sand myrtle
• sand table
• sand trap
• sand verbena
• tar sand

Rhymes for sand

• band
• banned
• bland
• brand
• canned
• fanned
• gland
• lande
• mande
• manned
• panned
• planned

Kids Definition

sand

1 of 2 noun

ˈsand 

1

: loose material in grains produced by the natural breaking up of rocks

2

: a soil made up mostly of sand

sand

2 of 2 verb

1

: to sprinkle with sand

2

: to smooth by rubbing with sandpaper

Medical Definition

sand

noun

ˈsand 

: gritty particles in various body tissues or fluids see brain sand

Biographical Definition

Sand

biographical name

ˈsand 

ˈsäⁿ(n)d, 

ˈsäⁿ

George 1804–1876 pseudonym of Amandine-Aurore-Lucie (or -Lucile) Dudevant dᵫd-ˈväⁿ 

dᵫ-də-

née Dupin French writer