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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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 stones

Noun

Ínség-szikla is just one example of Central Europe’s many hunger stones. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026 After her coffin was lowered into the grave and coral stones were arranged on top, her firstborn son, aged 5, was led to it and wailed. — ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026 The stones are pink because they're made of rhyolite, a rock formed from ancient volcanic activity. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Search for Petoskey stones near the breakwall in Bayfront Park. — Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 26 Aug. 2026 Outside of this special occasion, the crown is displayed with replicas of the Cullinan III, IV, and V so the real stones can remain in rotation in the royal jewelry box. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026 Ruzich is a former newspaper reporter who now sells stones and fossils at Affordable Antiques and More in Naperville. — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 Designers now favor natural stones and subtle details for a timeless, balanced look. — Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 23 Aug. 2026 These included a child buried face down, a skeleton positioned as in a crucifixion, graves with stones placed around the skull as if to prevent biting or movement, as well as other graves with sickles and padlocks. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stones

Noun

King said when individuals were buried on top of one another, the cemetery’s management removed the tombstones and resold the plots.

— Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2026
The juvenile green, leafy trees had vanished and were replaced by rows of thin, lifeless trunks staked into the ground like tombstones.

— Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026

Definition of tombstones

Verb

Experience in commercial roles often sharpens a leader’s focus on value proposition—truly understanding what differentiates an offering and why a customer would choose it.

— Andy Watts, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Blind, which follows a writer whose loss of sight sharpens her creative imagination, premiered in Sundance and Berlin.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of sharpens

Noun

Many of Washington’s monuments, buildings and sites have been carefully planned over decades to reflect significant moments in the nation’s history and to evoke symbolism through sightlines that connect them to other sites.

— Matthew Daly, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Public monuments condemning slavery have been removed, and Confederate names have been restored to Army bases.

— Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of monuments

Verb

Aspen/alder edges with an understory of hazelbrush are prime Michigan locations.

— Tom Huggler, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
The movie doesn’t shy away from letting Tony make mistakes—at times, the character edges toward outright villainy—and Banderas animates Chef with a contrasting moral clarity whose force feels almost physical.

— Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of edges

Verb

Finance ministers and central bank officials of G20 countries convene in Asheville, North Carolina on Monday and Tuesday as the US-Iran war grinds into its sixth month, raising inflation expectations and keeping energy prices elevated.

— Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
As Poles grinds through his Sunday, The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain and Dan Wiederer offer this roster projection.

— Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of grinds

Browse Nearby Words

stoners

stones

stone wall

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Style

“Stones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stones. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of stones

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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