1
as in stacks
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
1
as in heaps
to lay or throw on top of one another
piled all the clothes on the chair before putting them away
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in huddles
to gather into a closely packed group
the kids piled into the car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of piles
Alan Gionet, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
This comprises 5,468 ultra-fast charging piles, 1,216 800-V ultra-fast charging stations, and 6,269 stations in highway service areas.
—New Atlas, 9 Apr. 2026
Other best practices like wetting surfaces and covering piles and trucks carrying loose material will also be in place.
—Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
Homeowners across Central Florida have been frustrated to find their piles of dead leaves, branches and plants — victims of February’s hard freeze — still sitting on their curbs because waste haulers haven’t picked it up on time.
—Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
Ceviche comes two ways, while the Coctel Campechano ($19) piles chunks of lobster, sea bass and shrimp with zesty clamato juice.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Everyone helps cut grasses in the fall and build towering piles of it on the village’s barns for winter feed.
—Magdalena Stawkowski, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
Keep piles free of branches, rocks, and other debris.
—Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
The piles of dishes in the sink.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Alexander Smith, NBC news, 27 Feb. 2026
But when snow piles up in powdery white masses, Arizonans can't resist the opportunity to play in it.
—Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 19 Feb. 2026
His intervention piles fresh pressure on the prime minister.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 9 Feb. 2026
But the cleanups did remove the garbage that piles up along the San Juan, robbing the gillagers of a reliable source of income.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
These outdoor hangout spots don't get much use during the winter, but snow still piles up on decks during winter storms.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 8 Jan. 2026
Blackwood’s absence piles it on with several layers of awful.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Then Carol piles everything on her plate into a rough slice of avocado toast, mashing them together in an improvised layer.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
This recipe piles them on, casting apples — which are starting to appear at farmers markets — and nuts front and center as main characters supported by a chorus of greens.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
Evergreen has been forced to skip the burning of slash piles this winter because of a lack of snow.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
This comprises 5,468 ultra-fast charging piles, 1,216 800-V ultra-fast charging stations, and 6,269 stations in highway service areas.
—New Atlas, 9 Apr. 2026
Other best practices like wetting surfaces and covering piles and trucks carrying loose material will also be in place.
—Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
Homeowners across Central Florida have been frustrated to find their piles of dead leaves, branches and plants — victims of February’s hard freeze — still sitting on their curbs because waste haulers haven’t picked it up on time.
—Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
Ceviche comes two ways, while the Coctel Campechano ($19) piles chunks of lobster, sea bass and shrimp with zesty clamato juice.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Everyone helps cut grasses in the fall and build towering piles of it on the village’s barns for winter feed.
—Magdalena Stawkowski, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
Keep piles free of branches, rocks, and other debris.
—Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
The piles of dishes in the sink.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
The result piles more pressure on Starmer, the least popular prime minister since records began, according to some polls.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 27 Feb. 2026
But when snow piles up in powdery white masses, Arizonans can't resist the opportunity to play in it.
—Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 19 Feb. 2026
His intervention piles fresh pressure on the prime minister.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 9 Feb. 2026
But the cleanups did remove the garbage that piles up along the San Juan, robbing the gillagers of a reliable source of income.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
These outdoor hangout spots don't get much use during the winter, but snow still piles up on decks during winter storms.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 8 Jan. 2026
Blackwood’s absence piles it on with several layers of awful.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Then Carol piles everything on her plate into a rough slice of avocado toast, mashing them together in an improvised layer.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
This recipe piles them on, casting apples — which are starting to appear at farmers markets — and nuts front and center as main characters supported by a chorus of greens.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piles
Verb
-
The potato stacks pair beautifully with roast beef, steak, chicken, or sautéed fish.—
Victoria Spencer,
Martha Stewart,
3 Apr. 2026
-
To solve the couple's particular design puzzle, the studio came up with Light House, a vertical home that places each of the family’s major activities in its own dedicated box and playfully stacks them on top of one another.—
Stefan Ionescu
March 30,
New Atlas,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The couple huddles around a gas heater inside their home with their daughter and 4-year-old granddaughter to try and stay warm.—
Kati Weis,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Back at the castle, where the only thing haunting them is the ghosts of slain reality stars, everybody huddles to try to figure out whether to go for Ron or Colton.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The presentation is muddied a bit by the strong bass and lack of stereo separation, which crowds the lower registers (something that’s not helped by the recording's acoustics).—
Mark Knapp,
PC Magazine,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Filming in front of real audiences, alongside real racers and real pit crews, the director crowds the screen with people.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
13 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Fatemian simply bunches each slice slightly, creating a ruffled, flower-like radish slice that is then inserted between the rest of the vegetables.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Piles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piles. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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