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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of stones
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Feb. 2026
Canada had three stones in scoring positions, and they were spread across the house, like a split in bowling.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
For a walking path that feels organic and that's built to endure, look no further than rocks and stepping stones.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 20 Feb. 2026
Strategy is a huge part of curling, and teams use stones placed in front of the house to guard, while other shots are takeouts that blast stones out of the house.
—Mark Billingsley, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Players slide 40-pound stones toward a target while their teammates sweep frantically to control its speed and direction, and Gross does the same with a cast that gives it all.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
These elevated plants can be styled year-round with festive ribbons, colorful stones, or subtle seasonal accents to match your porch vibe.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026
As early as the 1950s and especially in the 1970s, these pieces were often crafted in gold, sometimes adorned with precious or semi-precious stones.
—Micaela English, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026
Scratched markings on Roman-era stones that were previously dismissed or cataloged as decorative doodling might actually be game boards — artifacts of social life and competition that no one recognized because no framework existed to decode them.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
There is a pile of landscaping stones on the Nolan’s property near where the impact occurred.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Feb. 2026
Canada had three stones in scoring positions, and they were spread across the house, like a split in bowling.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
For a walking path that feels organic and that's built to endure, look no further than rocks and stepping stones.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 20 Feb. 2026
Strategy is a huge part of curling, and teams use stones placed in front of the house to guard, while other shots are takeouts that blast stones out of the house.
—Mark Billingsley, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Players slide 40-pound stones toward a target while their teammates sweep frantically to control its speed and direction, and Gross does the same with a cast that gives it all.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
These elevated plants can be styled year-round with festive ribbons, colorful stones, or subtle seasonal accents to match your porch vibe.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026
As early as the 1950s and especially in the 1970s, these pieces were often crafted in gold, sometimes adorned with precious or semi-precious stones.
—Micaela English, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026
Scratched markings on Roman-era stones that were previously dismissed or cataloged as decorative doodling might actually be game boards — artifacts of social life and competition that no one recognized because no framework existed to decode them.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stones
Noun
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Last year, the City Council approved an ordinance to offer rewards for information involving theft of city plaques, tombstones, statues, light standards, and copper wire, and theft of metals linked to the Sixth Street Bridge.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
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By day the place was filled with different sorts of tombstones, many of them inside ornamental enclosures.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Stepping into the world of Formula One recently, the scale of precision working alongside some of the absolute greats sharpens you.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Scorpio October 23 – November 21 When depth calls, your focus sharpens naturally.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The videos also testify to Italy’s reverence for the design house, giving it access to palaces and monuments normally closed to commercial activity.—
Jane Wooldridge,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
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A week later, the Grant Park Columbus statue was removed, to the cheers of people who said monuments to Columbus are insults to Indigenous Americans.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At the age of 17 years, 340 days, Shiffrin edges local hope Michaela Kirchgasser.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
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We’re drawn to each design but really like the curved scallop edges and piped embellishments for an elegant bedscape.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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The number of technicians who prepare hundreds of skis with special waxes and grinds to ensure the best glide for the day during World Cup, World Championship and Olympic events.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stones. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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