sand 1 of 2

noun

ˈsand How to pronounce sand (audio)
Definition of sandnext
as in beach
often sands plural the usually sandy or gravelly land bordering a body of water we went for a moonlight walk on the sands

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

sand

2 of 2

verb

as in to rub
to make smooth by friction painstakingly sanded down the wooden floors of the old house

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 sand
Noun
Pissenem imagined a daytime beach club that catered to older ravers who could afford VIP beds and younger tourists who wanted to dance in the sand. — Max Marshall, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026 The main focus of this resort is that gorgeous slice of powdery pink sand and the aforementioned sand bar that extends just beyond it. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
Verb
The dredge is conducted by crane and excavator barges that dig sand up and deposit it in another barge. — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2026 Questlove is too thoughtful a filmmaker to sand down the rough edges. — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sand
  1. beach
  2. rub
  3. file
  4. polish
  5. grind
Noun
  • Domestic tourists had come to appreciate its hummocky beaches, quaint islands, and rich maritime culture, not to mention its easygoing ambience.
    — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
  • In Valencia, a number of boating outfitters are offering eclipse-viewing charters since La Malvarrosa beach, the city’s official viewing spot, faces east, meaning viewers will need to look inland to see the eclipse.
    — Catherine Tansey, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 July 2026
Definition of beach
Verb
  • Edward rubs his lamb with turmeric, Aleppo chile powder, salt and pepper.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
  • That certainly rubbed some players the wrong way, including McIlroy.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2026
Definition of rub
Verb
  • In January, Clancy and her husband filed separate lawsuits against the medical providers who oversaw Lindsay’s mental health treatment in the months leading up to the killings.
    — Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • The investigation also follows a lawsuit Attorney General Ken Paxton filed against a Houston-area postpartum care center.
    — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 July 2026
Definition of file
Verb
  • Set near the Apollo Theater in Harlem, the restaurant delivers scale, confidence, and polish without falling into the usual steakhouse performance.
    — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
  • The investment of time and money put into excavating and polishing a skeleton such as Gus would not be possible, according to Hatton, without the prospect of a high-value sale.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 13 July 2026
Definition of polish
Verb
  • The bones were ground up into bone ash, used as fertilizer, and burned to make bone black, used both as a dye and a filter for cane sugar juice.
    — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 20 July 2026
  • The performers grind and moan as rain pours from above and a wind machine roars.
    — Lauren Oyler, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Definition of grind

Browse Nearby Words

sanctums
sand
sandbag
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sand. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on sand

Nglish: Translation of sand for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sand

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dog days

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All