pile 1 of 3

noun (1)

Definition of pilenext
1
as in stack
a quantity of things thrown or stacked on one another a large pile of newspapers that needed to be disposed of

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in loads
a considerable amount a job that paid piles of money

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bundle
a very large amount of money she made a pile in the stock market just before it headed south

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pile

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
as in fur
a soft airy substance or covering the lush pile of the carpeting

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in wool
the hairy covering of a mammal especially when fine, soft, and thick a dog with such a dense pile that he never minded the cold

Synonyms & Similar Words

pile

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to stack
to lay or throw on top of one another piled all the clothes on the chair before putting them away

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to huddle
to gather into a closely packed group the kids piled into the car

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 pile
Noun
This one has a lid to ensure no pile is ever seen, no matter how long it's been since your last load. — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 15 July 2026 Keeping your yard trimmed and avoiding tall grass and brush piles where ticks are commonly found can also reduce your pet’s exposure. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 15 July 2026
Verb
Throughout Paramount’s quest for Warner, questions of political influence have also piled up — with criticism falling largely along party lines in Washington. — Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Fortune, 14 July 2026 Our new neighbors have been out of town for several weeks, and their newspapers keep piling up outside their home. — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pile
  1. stack
  2. loads
  3. bundle
  4. fur
  5. wool
  6. huddle
  7. mound
  8. ton
Noun
  • Here is what the trend looks like, who is driving it and what to know before building your own stack.
    — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
  • Walden says its full-stack approach combines hardware, AI, and deployment software to create robots that become more capable over time, targeting industries including automotive, aerospace, semiconductors, electronics, logistics, and life sciences.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026
Definition of stack
Noun
  • Transformers require specialized vehicles and heavy-duty trailers capable of carrying oversized loads.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
  • Flawless routines and loads of amenities were once seen as the ultimate pillars of hospitality.
    — Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2026
Definition of loads
Noun
  • Apple Music has hiked its subscription fee for the first time since late 2022, while the Apple One bundle is also getting more expensive.
    — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 18 July 2026
  • This price increase didn’t affect Apple One prices, which bundle services such as Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Apple Fitness+, and Apple News+ depending on the tier.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 17 July 2026
Definition of bundle
Noun
  • Sophie Reeder, 15, left her home in the 1300 block of Citrus Isle on the night of May 19, 2017, wearing a brown fur coat and a pair of Beats by Dre headphones over her head.
    — Angie DiMichele, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2026
  • The species features mainly black fur, cape-like shoulders and a long tail, per Florida Atlantic University’s release.
    — Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
Definition of fur
Noun
  • Behind the modern oak desk was a green mohair-wool sofa where Sonya read in the evenings.
    — Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
  • Thousands of fans are flooding through the gates with sunscreen in their packs rather than wool hats.
    — Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of wool
Verb
  • One year and two days after Walker started his program in Springfield, the Cardinals huddled in the visiting clubhouse at Wrigley Field on July 4.
    — Katie Woo, New York Times, 15 July 2026
  • In some, writers huddle under blankets in chairs watching playbacks of action sequences.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 July 2026
Definition of huddle
Noun
  • Their two other runs came in the ninth inning, down 23-2 against third baseman Jorbit Vivas on the mound.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
  • The knee has mostly bothered Ohtani on the mound, rather than at the plate.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of mound
Noun
  • The Scardovari lagoon reported annual harvests down from 4,800 tons to 340 tons since 2023.
    — Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • Capacity reached roughly 77 million tons a year by the early 2010s, and for most of the following decade Qatar was the world's largest LNG exporter, a position the United States and Australia now rival.
    — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of ton

Phrases Containing pile

Browse Nearby Words

pilasters
pile
piled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pile. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on pile

Nglish: Translation of pile for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pile

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of raffish

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All