variants
or less commonly stoney
stonier; stoniest
2
a
: insensitive to pity or human feeling : obdurate
b
: manifesting no movement or reaction : dumb, expressionless
c
: fearfully gripping : petrifying
3
archaic
: consisting of or made of stones
4
British
: stone broke
Examples of stony in a Sentence
She gave him a stony stare.
the judge's stony demeanor didn't raise the defendant's hopes for a more lenient sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Romer may one day look up at the stony faces of Daniel Boone or Betsy Ross in their patriotic splendor and decide that her sacrifice was worth it.
—
Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2025
Then stony coral tissue loss disease arrived in 2014, decimating corals in a deadly wave along Florida's reefs.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 24 Sep. 2024
The region's cool climate, high diurnal temperature range, and stony, well-draining soils are ideal for enhancing the aromatic profile and maintaining the grape’s natural acidity.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Stein derives from the word stone in German and refers to the stony soils found in this vineyard.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stony
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Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2025
Then stony coral tissue loss disease arrived in 2014, decimating corals in a deadly wave along Florida's reefs.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 24 Sep. 2024
The region's cool climate, high diurnal temperature range, and stony, well-draining soils are ideal for enhancing the aromatic profile and maintaining the grape’s natural acidity.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Stein derives from the word stone in German and refers to the stony soils found in this vineyard.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stony
Cite this Entry
“Stony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stony. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stony
adjective
variants
also stoney
stonier; stoniest
1
a
: full of stones
stony soil
b
: hard as stone
a stony seed
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