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Definitions

stony

[stoh-nee] / ˈstoʊ ni /
ADJECTIVE
hard, icy in appearance, response
Synonyms
STRONGEST
expressionless frigid
WEAK
adamant blank callous chilly cold cold-blooded coldhearted cruel firm hard-boiled hardened heartless hostile indifferent inexorable inflexible merciless obdurate pitiless rough tough uncompassionate unfeeling unforgiving unrelenting unresponsive unsympathetic
Antonyms
WEAK
friendly smiling soft warm

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

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 • Feb. 13, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

But it was his grittiest—and that’s all Indiana needed for its famously stony coach to drop the scowl.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

They stood in a tight circle, faces set with stony expressions.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.