variants
also stoney
as in stern
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
the judge's stony demeanor didn't raise the defendant's hopes for a more lenient sentence
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stony
Give her the chance to play pathos, and Squibb can crack your stony heart in half.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
According to the Earth Impact Effects Program calculator, developed by Imperial College in London, U.K., a stony asteroid the size of 2025 FA22 could cause a crater 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) wide.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Its stony soil and cool climate produce lower yields, but more expressive flavors, especially in chardonnay, pinot noir, and sparkling wines.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
But Bana is not as believable when asked to drop his stony demeanor and display vulnerability, a shortcoming that hampers his arc in the back half of the season.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stony
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
According to the Earth Impact Effects Program calculator, developed by Imperial College in London, U.K., a stony asteroid the size of 2025 FA22 could cause a crater 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) wide.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Its stony soil and cool climate produce lower yields, but more expressive flavors, especially in chardonnay, pinot noir, and sparkling wines.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
But Bana is not as believable when asked to drop his stony demeanor and display vulnerability, a shortcoming that hampers his arc in the back half of the season.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stony
Adjective
-
At Roland Park, Tupac’s English teacher was a stern woman named Thomasina Porter.—
Jeff Pearlman,
Rolling Stone,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The short war in Cuba gained the United States the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico; turned the nation into a Pacific power; and created beliefs that America was a stern yet benevolent country tasked by Destiny to enforce peace and bring prosperity to the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This grim reality evokes a sense of sorrow and powerlessness among women in Paina Bujurg.—
Aishwarya S. Iyer,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
-
To the right lay the harbor, its narrow entrance guarded by the grim Morro Castle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Zimmer also received an Emmy nod for her portrayal of ruthless executive Quinn King on Unreal (2015–2018).—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Oct. 2025
-
And in short stories and doorstops, her attention is ruthless and unflinching.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Why do some chocolate bars exhibit complex flavor notes like floral, caramel, and gentle woody, while others taste harsh, bitter, and astringent?—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Oct. 2025
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Where rallies are taking place Nearly daily protests in metro Detroit this year have been observed as being peaceful, though sometimes Trump supporters and protesters exchange harsh words.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
But Vučić has remained obdurate.—
Hanna Begić,
The Conversation,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Most of these initiatives met obdurate resistance from more powerful sectors of the state, and by the end of Khatami’s second term, in 2005, the reform movement had lost much of its momentum.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The film’s only real villain is Al Pacino, doing a Colonel Sanders accent as Richard’s father M.L. Hall, whose pitiless rigidity stands in for capitalism as a whole.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
2 Sep. 2025
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Each failure rekindled the gravitational pull of an existential, pitiless struggle.—
Hussein Agha,
New Yorker,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Chat members were merciless in their rhetoric against fellow Young Republicans in competing factions of the organization.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
15 Oct. 2025
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Next is 4-2 Mississippi State at home, the closest thing to a reprieve left on this merciless schedule.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
His characters strive to achieve things—such as love, self-command, or financial success—but those efforts are made ironic in the face of a world that, while sometimes beautiful to look at, remains indurate to human happiness.—
Scott Bradfield,
The New Republic,
24 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Stony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stony. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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