stones 1 of 2

Definition of stonesnext
plural of stone
as in tombstones
a shaped stone laid over or erected near a grave and usually bearing an inscription to identify and preserve the memory of the deceased an engraved stone identified the grave as that of a man who had died in the Influenza Epidemic of 1918-19

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stones

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of stone
as in sharpens
to make sharp or sharper the diorama showed a villager stoning a scythe

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stones
Noun
The group located what appeared to be some foundational stones of a building where a descendant of the homesteaders said the blacksmith shop once stood. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 13 Aug. 2026 The distinction made by Fawcett is particularly important in jewelry, where the most desirable stones and pieces can be decades or even centuries old. George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 13 Aug. 2026 But this is a 1913 cider mill built with the stones of a much older mill from the 1740s and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 13 Aug. 2026 Getting comfortable with an EV powertrain spinning road-bias AT tires over loose stones and sticks was also quite an experience. Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 12 Aug. 2026 So many of those things were definitely stepping stones in building my business confidence. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026 Select low-maintenance plants that will fill in spaces between the stones. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 11 Aug. 2026 The women used small stones to carefully break apart each piece. Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 One day, al-Hatab Square will be old again, and its white stones will weather and match the gray ones beside them. Lina Sergie Attar, Time, 6 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stones
Noun
  • The juvenile green, leafy trees had vanished and were replaced by rows of thin, lifeless trunks staked into the ground like tombstones.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
  • The eight objects offered at Bonhams and Apollo Art Auction House include statue heads, an inscription and tombstones.
    News Desk, Artforum, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • That extra size collects far more light, sharpens detail (especially on planets) and gives brighter views of fainter deep sky objects.
    Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The discovery sharpens that broad history by anchoring a smallpox strain in northern Chile.
    Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 30 July 2026
Noun
  • Now, the state attorney general says the city must pay a fine or face a lawsuit for violating a state law protecting Confederate monuments and other longstanding memorials.
    Riley Bunch, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The same year that the Lincoln Memorial was inaugurated, the tomb of Tutankhamum was discovered in Egypt, fueling a broader fascination with ancient civilizations, monuments and the ways societies preserved memories of powerful figures.
    Jennifer Tucker, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The movie doesn’t shy away from letting Tony make mistakes—at times, the character edges toward outright villainy—and Banderas animates Chef with a contrasting moral clarity whose force feels almost physical.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Cameras and laser-ranging sensors on the servicer offer clues, and data from those readings can provide an estimate of how the satellite is moving before the servicer edges close enough to touch.
    Wanjiku Chebet Kanjumba, The Conversation, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • The Food Processor quickly chops, slices, and shreds a wide array of ingredients for unlimited culinary creations, while the Coffee & Spice Grinder efficiently grinds coffee beans, spices, and herbs for superior flavor and potency.
    ABC News, ABC News, 22 June 2026
  • With a range of 50 to 300 kilometers, the drones, all made in Ukraine, are designed to throttle the Russian army’s logistics – adding a new dimension of strikes to Ukraine’s strategy as the war grinds through its fifth year.
    Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN Money, 20 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Stones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stones. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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