stony

adjective

\ ˈstō-nē

variants: or less commonly stoney

stonier; stoniest

Definition of stony

1 : abounding in or having the nature of stone : rocky

2a : insensitive to pity or human feeling : obdurate

b : manifesting no movement or reaction : dumb, expressionless

c : fearfully gripping : petrifying

3 archaic : consisting of or made of stones

4 British : stone broke

Other Words from stony Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about stony

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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

This one from Stein is gently dry, with just the barest bit of fruity roundness to give the wine depth and dimension, along with plenty of stony minerality. — Eric Asimov, New York Times, "20 Wines Under $20: Plenty of Variety and Not One Chardonnay," 17 May 2018 My friends assure me that I am supposed to cry, as though anything less were an indication of a stony heart. — Karen Stabiner, New York Times, "A Wedding Day Saga Ends With Words From the Heart," 27 June 2018 The site where fast-moving flames trapped the Granite Mountain Hotshots five years ago is dry scrub, surrounded by stony hills on three sides. — Anne Ryman, azcentral, "Granite Mountain Hotshots: An untold story from the day 19 firefighters died," 23 June 2018 Just beyond the northern reach of the park, there’s a grassy mound—bearded in stony riprap to prevent erosion--that overlooks the East River: an older public park. — Julie V. Iovine, WSJ, "Sweet Design on the Brooklyn Waterfront," 30 June 2018 Stony Stares When South Korean boy band Shinhwa performed in North Korea in 2003 as part of a similar cultural diplomacy venture, the audience -- dressed in suits and traditional dresses -- greeted them with silence and stony stares. — Bloomberg.com, "Kim Jong Un Mingles With K-Pop Stars at Pyongyang Pop Concert," 2 Apr. 2018 At first, the city used the stony ridge for woodlots and rain catchments. — William J. Broad, New York Times, "How the Ice Age Shaped New York," 5 June 2018 Peaks rise to roughly 2,600 feet (the highest between the Rockies and Appalachians) and lead to a labyrinth of stony hollows, waterfalls, and sweeping vistas. — Jonathan Olivier, Outside Online, "The Best Thru-Hikes You've Never Heard Of," 14 May 2018 This is cool California is ready for an especially stony 4/20 — the first since marijuana was legalized in the state. — Recode Staff, Recode, "Recode Daily: What comes next for Amazon after its 100 million Prime number?," 20 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stony.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.