as in beach
the usually sandy or gravelly land bordering a body of water
we went for a moonlight walk on the sands
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in rubs
to make smooth by friction
painstakingly sanded down the wooden floors of the old house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sands
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Once in Norfolk, travelers are 30 minutes from the sands of Virginia Beach, and an hour drive from the North Carolina border.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025
Yes, the city is named for the impressive color and clarity of its water, but it could just as easily be named for its sugar-white sands.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
That’s a lot of water, and the thirsty sands of the desert quickly absorbed it.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
Yet visitors can still find secluded stretches and coves of golden sands and craggy coastal formations, some of the best tidepools anywhere and about 2,400 acres of beach and backcountry that make Crystal Cove a favorite of naturalists.
—Greg Mellen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
The sports star shared another full-length shot of the couple — who currently reside in Oslo — with their arms around each other on the same white sands, while a third closer-up image showed the couple smiling and rubbing noses.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
Blue Apple Beach, Hart's trailblazing hotel and beach club, sits along the sands of Isla Tierra Bomba, just a twenty-minute boat ride from Cartagena.
—Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The legal sands shifted in the weeks and months after they were formally charged and days of demonstrations protesting his death faded out.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
In this image, Landsat 9 reveals the Mazartagh Ridge rising around 600 feet (180 meters) above the surrounding sands, acting as a natural barrier against the relentless winds that sweep China's Takla Makan Desert.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Once in Norfolk, travelers are 30 minutes from the sands of Virginia Beach, and an hour drive from the North Carolina border.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025
Yes, the city is named for the impressive color and clarity of its water, but it could just as easily be named for its sugar-white sands.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
That’s a lot of water, and the thirsty sands of the desert quickly absorbed it.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
Yet visitors can still find secluded stretches and coves of golden sands and craggy coastal formations, some of the best tidepools anywhere and about 2,400 acres of beach and backcountry that make Crystal Cove a favorite of naturalists.
—Greg Mellen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
The sports star shared another full-length shot of the couple — who currently reside in Oslo — with their arms around each other on the same white sands, while a third closer-up image showed the couple smiling and rubbing noses.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
Blue Apple Beach, Hart's trailblazing hotel and beach club, sits along the sands of Isla Tierra Bomba, just a twenty-minute boat ride from Cartagena.
—Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The legal sands shifted in the weeks and months after they were formally charged and days of demonstrations protesting his death faded out.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sands
Noun
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New additives like preservatives, flavorings and vitamins were infused into them, and they were packaged in novel ways to withstand hard helicopter drops, wet beach landings and days at the bottom of rucksacks.—
Alice Callahan,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Their eggs were also considered a delicacy and dug up from their nests on beaches.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Specifically, Byron’s enthusiasm for Guinness — the beer and the family — rubs him the wrong way.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
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Ray, grateful for the distraction, rubs my Lab behind his ears and tells me how much Michelle loved dogs.—
Ted Katauskas,
Outside,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Identifying when the clock starts, pauses, or ends is crucial because if the homeowner files a claim for compensation outside the statute of limitations, it can be barred.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
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Current law requires anyone who files nomination papers and qualifies to appear on the ballot to remain on the ballot that voters see that election cycle.—
Molly Beck,
jsonline.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The single-button power control is a favorite feature of our reviewer Williams, as well as the fluffy optic cleaner head that cleans and polishes her hard floors.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
25 Sep. 2025
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Next, the gel polishes themselves had to work with the specific wavelengths of the Olive & June lamp.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Luxe Café automatically grinds beans to the appropriate size and volume for your drink, and has a hands-free frothing system for creating hot and cold foam.—
Mark Marino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
4 Oct. 2025
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The White House is halting $18 billion in New York infrastructure funding due to concerns over diversity and inclusion practices and as the first day of a federal shutdown grinds government work to a halt.—
Gregory Korte,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sands. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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