STONES Synonyms: 35 Similar and Opposite Words

stones 1 of 2

noun

Definition of stones

plural of stone

as in tombstones

a shaped stone laid over or erected near a grave and usually bearing an inscription to identify and preserve the memory of the deceased an engraved stone identified the grave as that of a man who had died in the Influenza Epidemic of 1918-19

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stones

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of stone

as in sharpens

to make sharp or sharper the diorama showed a villager stoning a scythe

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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 stones

Noun

In Italy, a march in central Milan on Saturday over living costs also ended violently, with rioters attacking the police with stones and paving blocks and setting fire to barricades. — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026 Real stones will have different masses and shapes, each generating a slightly different wave. — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 The video also appeared to show two slingshots, which can be used to hurl stones, being found at one property. — Reuters, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026 Solange Azagury-Partridge’s new Frankenstone collection of asymmetrical stones, and rock crystal creations, was a highlight. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 The settlers hurled stones with slings and set the groves on fire, chasing a group of journalists about 80 yards from the scene. — Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026 Living shorelines, such as those along the Orange and San Diego county coasts, involve piling sand atop boulders or smaller stones and covering the berms with vegetation. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026 Aark Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center in Chalfont said in a Facebook post in September that the large adult male snapping turtle was admitted after rescuers found him being pelted with stones by kids. — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 Under the leadership of the longtime chief gemologist and vice president, the house highlighted American gemstones at a time when European jewelers mostly eschewed them in favor of more stones from more traditional sources. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stones

Noun

Think tombstones, solid skeletons, signs or other decorations that hold their shape and don’t have loose or dangling parts.

— Katie Koschalk, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026
That’s presumably the idea behind the recipes people have carved into their tombstones, which, yes, is a real thing that happens quite often.

— Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of tombstones

Verb

Still, Mercury in your sign simultaneously sharpens your instincts while also fueling your anxiety, and just as Saturn retrograde challenges you to question whether your routines and habits are actually serving you.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 Oct. 2026
Read alongside the research, Harari’s argument sharpens the problem.

— Deepa Nagraj, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of sharpens

Noun

Aiming to protect what’s left of its buildings and monuments is a converted Volkswagen Crafter—the ARK III, a mobile 3D-scanning lab that creates digital twins of sacred and historical structures for future restoration.

— Chris Stokel-Walker, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Back in 2020, then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot had three monuments to Columbus taken down amid massive social justice protests.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of monuments

Verb

Mud dropped on Friday via Island Records and marks the third studio album for Wolf, a record that edges far closer to folk music than either of the alt-pop star’s first two LPs.

— Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2026
Explore our favorite picks below, bookmark this page, and check back regularly as Prime Day edges closer.

— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of edges

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

stoners

stones

stone wall

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Stones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stones. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of stones

noun

verb

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