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
1
1
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
Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026
On Thursday, prosecutors showed photos of Athena’s clothing, which a search team found in a pile of trash outside Horner’s home.
—Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2026
Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2026
Rates change; accounts go unchecked; little costs pile up.
—Bydoug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pile
Noun
That moves you from the pile to the shortlist.
—Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026
On Thursday, prosecutors showed photos of Athena’s clothing, which a search team found in a pile of trash outside Horner’s home.
—Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
While investors haven't piled into the dollar since the start of the Iran conflict, the currency was up by around 2% against a basket of major peers in March.
—Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2026
Rates change; accounts go unchecked; little costs pile up.
—Bydoug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pile
Verb
-
This four-piece ice cube tray is a big space-saver in the freezer; all four trays stack on top of each other to maximize room.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Outside experts and watchdogs suspect that before the first meeting in July, Kennedy will work to stack the advisory board with questionably qualified allies who will come with a predetermined decision to ease access to the drugs—no rigorous scientific evaluation needed.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The boiler is broken, so Kuhner huddles by a small space heater in his office in the winter.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The opening act had started playing—a local band that never broke out, Sacagawea—but Russ and Cherry just huddled a little closer and kept talking.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The funding is aimed at supporting a three-pronged plan put forward by a South End, Roxbury, and Newmarket community working group in February that focuses on getting addicts off the streets, out of jail, and into recovery to avoid the chaos and crowding that worsens there each summer.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Others would face court proceedings, conviction and incarceration, contributing to prison crowding.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Yet considering how bunched together the fifth through 10th seeds in the Eastern Conference have been for the last several weeks, the stakes were more tangible than, say, on a random Tuesday in January.—
Eric Koreen,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
This set, which includes a quilt and matching shams, features a box-stitch pattern that prevents fill from bunching.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pile. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
