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
Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Amid a large snowstorm in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, one curious dog dived into piles of snow in a now-viral video.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
Squat piles of rubble dotted the lots.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
But giving doesn’t have to be about piles of cash.
—Luciana Lopez, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
Instead of decoding the rules of human language from piles of text, these engineers are trying to emulate human dexterity by analyzing stores of video and sensor data.
—James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
It is supported by a total of 11,736 steel steel piles.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 30 Dec. 2025
Remove piles of leaves, sticks, and other yard debris, and trim tall grass, overgrown shrubs, and vegetation that can provide shelter.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
The star sparkled in a curve-hugging black sequin Diane von Furstenberg gown, adding a black fur stole and piles of diamond jewelry.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
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
That’s where the paperwork piles up, court fees skyrocket, and grieving families are forced into bureaucratic limbo for months — sometimes years.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
Shelf ice forms along beaches where ice piles up after being pushed to shore.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Amid a large snowstorm in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, one curious dog dived into piles of snow in a now-viral video.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
Squat piles of rubble dotted the lots.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
But giving doesn’t have to be about piles of cash.
—Luciana Lopez, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
Instead of decoding the rules of human language from piles of text, these engineers are trying to emulate human dexterity by analyzing stores of video and sensor data.
—James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
It is supported by a total of 11,736 steel steel piles.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 30 Dec. 2025
Remove piles of leaves, sticks, and other yard debris, and trim tall grass, overgrown shrubs, and vegetation that can provide shelter.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
The star sparkled in a curve-hugging black sequin Diane von Furstenberg gown, adding a black fur stole and piles of diamond jewelry.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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
That’s where the paperwork piles up, court fees skyrocket, and grieving families are forced into bureaucratic limbo for months — sometimes years.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piles
Verb
-
Relief on that levy—which stacks on top of Liberation Day tariffs—could be a boon for the Asian nation at a time when domestic demand is weak.—
Bloomberg,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The Double ShackBurger stacks two quarter pound patties, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and ShackSauce.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While the team occasionally huddles, Rivers usually calls plays from the sideline.—
Sam Jane,
New York Times,
21 Dec. 2025
-
In the series finale's last moments, the whole family huddles together at Claire and Phil's house to take one more group selfie.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Long takes emphasize the mental labor of Hujar’s self-exploration, and Sachs’s framing (with cinematography by Alex Ashe) crowds the pair together to evoke the intimacy of their talk.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
5 Nov. 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 10 Jan. 2026.
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