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
First discovered in Florida in 2014, stony coral tissue loss disease attacks the soft tissue of more than 30 different species of coral.
—
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 June 2025
Sifting through the stony soil of southern Sweden, archaeologists uncovered dozens of Viking-era structures and hundreds of artifacts.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025
Her stony expression at this news indicates that Peter should maybe sleep with one eye open.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 22 May 2025
The complexities of her character mirrored in her stony, resentful stare, in her grim, unforgiving mouth, will always baffle and enthrall.
—E.r. Zarevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stony
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 June 2025
Sifting through the stony soil of southern Sweden, archaeologists uncovered dozens of Viking-era structures and hundreds of artifacts.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025
Her stony expression at this news indicates that Peter should maybe sleep with one eye open.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 22 May 2025
The complexities of her character mirrored in her stony, resentful stare, in her grim, unforgiving mouth, will always baffle and enthrall.
—E.r. Zarevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stony
Adjective
-
As the bow and stern sections tore free from one another, the ship’s contents were ejected and rained down across the ocean floor, dispersing everything from luggage and dinnerware to engine parts and personal belongings.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
6 July 2025
-
Len, that character of a stern Englishman with a twinkle in his eye, felt like the core of what the show was.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
Despite the grim topic, the report offers encouraging news: Steady progress has been made in reducing child labor globally.—
Fatma Tanis,
NPR,
26 June 2025
-
Gatwa’s first as the Doctor. Compare Season 15 to Jodie Whittaker’s last outing as the Time Lord, and things get grimmer.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
As a member of a crew that robs banks, Mr. Blonde is the most ruthless.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 July 2025
-
As they’re hunted by a ruthless drug gang led by the menacing Power (Aidan Gillen), their fight for survival becomes a journey of redemption.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
Come spring, the Ranger III carries everything from outhouses and diesel fuel for the generators to construction supplies to repair whatever damage Mother Nature did to facilities over the harsh winter.—
Diana Lambdin Meyer,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
-
Yet the harshest critic is often the one in the mirror.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Ipswich proved obdurate and then generous opponents — Newcastle’s 78 per cent possession was the highest by any team in a Premier League match this season — and their relegation was confirmed by this 3-0 defeat.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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Whatever regime emerges could well be even more radical and obdurate.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
From Hollywood's Golden Age and the '70s catastrophe obsession to today, these films have unearthed every pitiless corner of nature's wrath, from towering tsunamis and viral pandemics to all-out apocalypses and more.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
3 July 2025
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They were born out of a pitiless epidemic, as a poignant yet futile attempt to allow his subjects to live forever on film.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
While Charlie Brown played things safe, Snoopy lived an exuberant life in his imagination, casting himself as a frustrated novelist, gleeful dancer, merciless attorney and even a prolific flying ace in a World War I Sopwith Camel.—
Chris Carra,
Smithsonian Magazine,
26 June 2025
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Players have openly voiced their struggles with its deep rough, lightning-fast greens, and merciless bunkers.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
Adjective
-
Even these young players already have major tournament experience — a huge strength given their tough group.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
-
However, generally speaking, insoluble fiber is commonly found in whole grains, bran, legumes, nuts, seeds, produce skins, and tough vegetables and fruits.—
Mara Santilli,
SELF,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stony. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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