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
Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
The ancient trash piles are estimated to be 2,500–2,900 years old, according to the study.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2025
By Wednesday, the streets in Kathmandu, many littered with piles of charred debris, were largely quiet.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Gardeners typically pour blender compost directly onto the soil near plants, but it can also be used in trench composting and dug into gardens, added to vermicompost bins as worm food, or mixed into existing compost piles and bins to accelerate the composting process.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Sep. 2025
Tired of spending your weekends raking up endless piles of leaves until your arms ache?
—Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Greenwood State Beach unfolds below the bluff, a crescent of sand often empty but for driftwood piles and the occasional bonfire ring.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Many prefer soft beds or blankets, while others are drawn to unusual objects such as laundry piles, cardboard boxes, or even shoes.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
To lower the chances of a wolf spider living in your home, avoid clutter, such as piles of clothing or cardboard boxes.
—Carrie Madormo, Health, 6 Sep. 2025
Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
No nests, clear piles of branches or wood and no trash.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
The ancient trash piles are estimated to be 2,500–2,900 years old, according to the study.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2025
By Wednesday, the streets in Kathmandu, many littered with piles of charred debris, were largely quiet.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Gardeners typically pour blender compost directly onto the soil near plants, but it can also be used in trench composting and dug into gardens, added to vermicompost bins as worm food, or mixed into existing compost piles and bins to accelerate the composting process.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Sep. 2025
Tired of spending your weekends raking up endless piles of leaves until your arms ache?
—Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Greenwood State Beach unfolds below the bluff, a crescent of sand often empty but for driftwood piles and the occasional bonfire ring.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Many prefer soft beds or blankets, while others are drawn to unusual objects such as laundry piles, cardboard boxes, or even shoes.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
To lower the chances of a wolf spider living in your home, avoid clutter, such as piles of clothing or cardboard boxes.
—Carrie Madormo, Health, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
-
Behind its all-glass façade, the home stacks four bedrooms and five baths around an elevator core.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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In the conflict between Hobbes and Rousseau, between visions of primordial humankind as inherently brutal or inherently peaceful, Tsangari stacks the dramatic deck in favor of benign and placid human nature.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks huddles with his team during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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 15 Sep. 2025.
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