stony

American  

[stoh-nee] / ˈstoʊ ni /

Or stoney

adjective

stonier, stoniest

1. full of or abounding in stones or rock.

   a stony beach.

   Synonyms:

   pebbly, rocky

2. pertaining to or characteristic of stone.

3. resembling or suggesting stone, especially in its hardness.

4. unfeeling; merciless; obdurate.

   a stony heart.

   Synonyms:

   unbending, inflexible, pitiless, flinty, hard, adamant

5. motionless or rigid; without expression, as the eyes or a look.

   a hard, stony stare.

6. petrifying; stupefying.

   stony fear.

7. having a stone or stones, as fruit.

8. Slang. stone-broke.

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stony British  

/ ˈstəʊnɪ /

adjective

1. of or resembling stone

2. abounding in stone or stones

3. unfeeling, heartless, or obdurate

4. short for stony-broke

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Other Word Forms

• stonily adverb
• stoniness noun
• unstonily adverb
• unstoniness noun
• unstony adjective

Etymology

Origin of stony

before 1000; Middle English; Old English stānig. See stone, -y ¹

Example Sentences

They sit in stony silence because they are watching their life’s work being systematically dismantled.

From The Wall Street Journal

But instead Petrosian was left stony faced, and she exited the stage quickly when it was confirmed she had missed the podium.

From BBC

The long and winding route to his house takes us through the back gardens of Palestinian homes, and along stony pathways, to a hill overlooking the neighbourhood.

From BBC

Weeds grew up everywhere, through cracks in the pavement, asphalt, and patches of dry, stony soil.

From Literature

Forgotten animal pens, decaying cages and stony backdrops now sit in various states of abandonment.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• expressionless
• frigid