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
Audrey McAvoy, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
The mayor said the goal is to move snow into piles away from intersections until it can be hauled away to snow farms.
—Penny Kmitt, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Winter storms hit the Northeast early this week, bringing snow totals piling up to 20, 30 or even 40+ inches in some areas.
—Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pile
Noun
Few papers actually made it to readers, however, because piles of snow prevented delivery trucks from getting farther than a mile or two from its building.
—Audrey McAvoy, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
The mayor said the goal is to move snow into piles away from intersections until it can be hauled away to snow farms.
—Penny Kmitt, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
Verb
Tragically, some deaths were attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning, as people stranded in their cars left the engines running to keep them warm, and snow piled up around them.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Winter storms hit the Northeast early this week, bringing snow totals piling up to 20, 30 or even 40+ inches in some areas.
—Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pile
Verb
-
Instead, Trump continues to press Zelensky into negotiations that look increasingly stacked against Ukraine.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The deck is now so stacked against consumers that 47% of all homeowners’ claims were closed with no payout at all in 2024, when hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton raked the state.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Six of the skiers huddled in a makeshift shelter constructed with tarpaulin sheets.—
Ramon Padilla,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Trump’s top national security advisers huddled in the Situation Room of the White House on Wednesday to discuss Iran, according to a senior administration official.—
Gordon Lubold,
NBC news,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Cavernous, slightly chaotic, and nearly always crowded—this is not just a hotel, but a destination to cross off the checklist for visitors to Singapore.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Video uploaded to social media shows the officers being battered by snowballs outside the rest rooms as dozens of parkgoers crowd around filming the cops and jeering at them.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The way draperies naturally bunch and undulate is a perfect example of how material or application can contrast the sharp lines.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The field is tightly bunched, with just over a second separating the top 10.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pile. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
