SANDS Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

sands 1 of 2

noun

plural of sand

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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sands

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of sand

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

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 sands

Noun

That year in Canada, Shell opened a $1 billion carbon capture and storage facility — also largely paid for by the country’s taxpayers — connected to open-pit oil sands mines. — Katie Worth, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2026 Its historic downtown, thriving restaurant scene, and proximity to the sugar-white sands of Pensacola Beach, just across the bay, offer plenty of coastal appeal without having to pay for property directly on the barrier island. — Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2026 Nick Prentiss, Bread founder and CEO For young apparel and accessories brands reliant on overseas production, shifting geopolitical sands present a constant moving target. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026 Much of the new interest in monazite, though, is focused on a second type, called heavy mineral sands. — Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 15 Oct. 2026 Relax on the golden sands of the world’s longest continuous pleasure beach. — Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 12 Oct. 2026 As with their other current CBS hit Elsbeth — and unlike their more creatively unconventional streaming shows The Good Fight and Evil — Cupertino sands down some of the Kings’ jagged edges, aiming for something cuter. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026 Like sands through the hourglass, these are the recipes of our lives. — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026 Beachgoers enjoy dedicated loungers, umbrellas, and towel service right on South Beach's golden sands. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026

Verb

Thorn cuts the pieces for his puzzle-style artworks, sands them, paints them, then glues them into a frame. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026 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

The post also included photos of a table filled with bouquets gifted to Jenner for her birthday and a shot of her in riding gear on a horse on the beach.

— Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2026
The property has repeatedly refreshed guest rooms, restaurants, and public spaces to stay contemporary while anchoring itself in Cayman’s culture and beach heritage.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of beach

Verb

My colleague counters that to do so rubs salt in the wound, and that the loser is the one to first contact the winner with congratulations.

— Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
By the end of the nineteenth century, health tourists could easily travel to Davos, in the east of Switzerland, where the mountain vistas were more dramatic and newer treatments, such as chest rubs with marmot fat, awaited.

— D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of rubs

Verb

The former San Francisco supervisor wants to pursue legislation to prevent insurance companies from raising the rates or dropping the coverage of a policyholder who files a claim.

— Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Correspondence files that document how a company responded at the moments that mattered most.

— Amanda Turcotte, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of files

Verb

Jajour has six in her kit, noting that polishes that complement your skin’s undertone keep your skin from looking flat and tired.

— Christina Middleton, Allure, 4 Nov. 2026
While a classic button-down shirt is always timeless, a peplum top offers the same wearability with a waist-defining silhouette that instantly polishes any bottom they’re paired with.

— Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of polishes

Verb

For anyone who grinds fresh every morning and chases single-origin lots, online talk about mold and mycotoxins in coffee tends to raise a practical question about how the stuff gets onto beans in the first place.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
The annual College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), the country’s most important academic event, grinds the nation to almost a halt to ensure the smooth administration of the exam.

— Lim Hui Jie,Miko Jang, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of grinds

Browse Nearby Words

sandpapery

sands

sandstorm

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Style

“Sands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sands. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of sands

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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