stony

adjective

ˈstō-nē 

variants or less commonly stoney

stonier; stoniest

1

: abounding in or having the nature of stone : rocky

a stony path/ridge

2

a

: insensitive to pity or human feeling : obdurate

a stony heart

b

: manifesting no movement or reaction : expressionless

gave them a stony stare

c

: fearfully gripping : petrifying

3

archaic : consisting of or made of stones

4

British : stone broke

stonily

ˈstō-nə-lē 

adverb

stoniness

ˈstō-nē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of stony

• ruthless
• merciless
• hard
• harsh
• obdurate

Examples of stony in a Sentence

She gave him a stony stare.

the judge's stony demeanor didn't raise the defendant's hopes for a more lenient sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Across this stony landscape, light sometimes falls. —Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026

Forgotten animal pens, decaying cages and stony backdrops now sit in various states of abandonment. —Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026

That means the flavor can range from mild and clean to stony or salty, and the intensity of the bubbles also varies from delicate to aggressive. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Jan. 2026

Delectable notes of lemon curd on the nose, citrus blossom, and stony minerality, with peach tart and a drizzle of honey, and a lovely balance of medium body, lots of juicy fruit and crisp acidity. —Cathrine Todd, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing stony

• stony broke

Rhymes for stony

• boney
• boni
• bony
• coney
• crony
• monie
• mony
• phoney
• phony
• stoney
• toney
• tony

Kids Definition

stony

adjective

variants also stoney

ˈstō-nē 

stonier; stoniest

1

a

: full of stones

stony soil

b

: hard as stone

a stony seed

2

: pitiless, unfeeling

a stony stare

stonily

ˈstōn-ᵊl-ē 

adverb