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
Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2026
For some, a day trip by minibus and camel is more than enough desert – but the true adventurer will want to seek out the untrodden sands of southern Algeria.
—Henry Haselock, TheWeek, 27 Feb. 2026
And if solitude is your jam, Cheung Sha Beach's sprawling sands whisper your name.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
But 25 years ago, the festival rebranded and moved to the sands of South Beach under Lee Schrager, then an executive at Southern Glazer Wine and Spirits.
—Sherrilyn Cabrera, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2026
Saturated in the heatwave colors of Australia’s scorching Red Center, with its searing blue skies and bright orange sands, Wolfram makes the grim, lawless backwater of Wake in Fright seem positively cosmopolitan by comparison.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
In the ad, Yang and Hamm appear to be a bit salty that they weren’t invited to a party on Ritz island, though The Avengers star quickly shifts their mood, and the three jet ski through the sands of the bash.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
The remnants of a 19th-century shipwreck have emerged from beneath the sands of a New Jersey beach.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
There are camels, horses, and fat bikes to ride through the seemingly endless sands and spa treatments that use Arabian dates and coffee.
—Jennifer Flowers, AFAR Media, 30 Jan. 2026
Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026
Chapman sands his board occasionally to remove this top layer of funk.
—Matt Fuchs, Time, 24 Nov. 2025
Noun
Set back from the sands of Great Exuma’s Flamingo Beach, Cocoplum Bistro serves a unique mix of French and Bahamian cuisine.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2026
For some, a day trip by minibus and camel is more than enough desert – but the true adventurer will want to seek out the untrodden sands of southern Algeria.
—Henry Haselock, TheWeek, 27 Feb. 2026
And if solitude is your jam, Cheung Sha Beach's sprawling sands whisper your name.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
But 25 years ago, the festival rebranded and moved to the sands of South Beach under Lee Schrager, then an executive at Southern Glazer Wine and Spirits.
—Sherrilyn Cabrera, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2026
Saturated in the heatwave colors of Australia’s scorching Red Center, with its searing blue skies and bright orange sands, Wolfram makes the grim, lawless backwater of Wake in Fright seem positively cosmopolitan by comparison.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
In the ad, Yang and Hamm appear to be a bit salty that they weren’t invited to a party on Ritz island, though The Avengers star quickly shifts their mood, and the three jet ski through the sands of the bash.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
The remnants of a 19th-century shipwreck have emerged from beneath the sands of a New Jersey beach.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
There are camels, horses, and fat bikes to ride through the seemingly endless sands and spa treatments that use Arabian dates and coffee.
—Jennifer Flowers, AFAR Media, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
Sawdust sprays as Matt Sams meticulously sands the edges of a balcony railing that will soon be affixed to the front of a house.
—Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026
Chapman sands his board occasionally to remove this top layer of funk.
—Matt Fuchs, Time, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sands
Noun
-
Blasts have been heard from the beaches of Dubai to the streets of Doha.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
-
This funky little beach town checks all the boxes for a great seaside destination, with none of the annoyances— like huge crowds and towering high rises—of more popular spots.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This might happen because antler rubs strip bark away, revealing lignin-rich inner wood that reemits the longer wavelengths in a way bark does not.—
Anirban Mukhopadhyay,
Scientific American,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Unfortunately, Martin’s blunt and borderline rude bedside manner rubs the quirky, needy locals the wrong way, including schoolteacher Louisa Gavin (Abigail Spencer).—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When a legislator files a claim bill on behalf of the injured person, staff attorneys for the House and Senate act as a magistrate, and hold a hearing based on evidence from the trial or settlement, and beyond.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
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Another Pritzker The governor's cousin, Thomas Pritzker, recently resigned from his role as the executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels after his association with Epstein and Maxwell came into clearer view through emails released in the Epstein files tranche.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In another, Kelly’s character polishes the massive rock on a seat cushion, then lies back to admire it.—
Rachel Garrahan,
Vogue,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Designed in tandem with the brand’s existing DIY gel system, Olive & June’s Builder Gel polishes (retailing for $12 each) are thicker in texture than traditional gel polish, creating a strong, supportive barrier to help grow your natural nails.—
Jacqueline Kilikita,
Refinery29,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The dramatic move comes as shipping traffic grinds to an effective halt in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, amid fears of prolonged disruption to global trade.—
Dan Mangan,Garrett Downs,Leslie Josephs,Holly Ellyatt,Chloe Taylor,Sam Meredith,Azhar Sukri,Anniek Bao,Kevin Breuninger,Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
3 Mar. 2026
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But by the start of this season, our young capitalists have been flung further afield into new jobs and new places that stir up a vague sense of menace even before the actual danger of the plot grinds into action.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sands. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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