stony

or ston·ey

[ stoh-nee ]

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.

stony

/ ˈstəʊnɪ /

adjective

1. of or resembling stone
2. abounding in stone or stones
3. unfeeling, heartless, or obdurate
4. short for stony-broke

Derived Forms

• ˈstonily, adverb
• ˈstoniness, noun

Other Word Forms

• stoni·ly adverb
• stoni·ness noun
• un·stoni·ly adverb
• un·stoni·ness noun
• un·stony adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stony¹

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

Example Sentences

She said the December update claiming that the backlog would be cleared by the end of February made her "hopeful", but that since then she has been met with a "stony silence".

From BBC

Are the Oscars more important, more intimidating than mocking Washington big shots to their often stony faces?

From Los Angeles Times

The stony, terse comedy “Universal Language” has all the wind, snow and monotony one might envision in Manitoba, especially for those who’ve yet to make the trip.

From Los Angeles Times

He was told it had been discovered at 18:20 on 24 September on stony ground at the bottom of a drop.

From BBC

On any day, migrants might be illegally crossing the border nearby, breaching a fence that starts, stops and varies in height, a product of shifting politics and stony slopes.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• expressionless
• frigid